UPS have released the results of its 2019 UPS Industrial Buying Dynamics Asia Pacific Study, which finds B2B buyers in the region doing much of their purchasing online, and at the same time relying heavily on offline relationships and seeking out solid after-sales service. The study, which surveyed more than 3,100 industrial purchasers globally, including 600 from companies across China, Japan, and Thailand, offers valuable region-level insights and specific market-level traits that can help B2B businesses better connect with buyers in Asia.
“What we see in Asia is that business relationships are not one dimensional – online channels are popular, but so too are more traditional forms of buying, and this presents a real balancing act for those who want to sell in this region,” said Sylvie Van Den Kerkhof, Vice President of Marketing, UPS Asia Pacific Region. “The data suggests that businesses wanting to work in Asian markets need to ensure that their e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar operations are both optimized and integrated, while ensuring that post-sales services, such as returns, offer a seamless experience for buyers.”
Where in other regions, shifting demographics have a much bigger role to play in purchasing behavior, to be successful here in Asia, a recommended approach is to consider buyers by job responsibility, rather than nationality or age demographic. As the study shows, Asia is a region of tremendous complexity –one where all buyers are focused on the targeted demands of service for their organizations.
The report found strong indications that online buying is set to increase, with Asian buyers saying they plan to use this channel more within the next five years. Amongst those that prefer making purchases online, Japanese buyers purchase online at a higher rate (31 percent) than buyers in both China and Thailand (both at 14 percent). Meanwhile, in Thailand, companies with higher budgets report that in the next three to five years, they are more likely to move purchasing online; and in China, mobile online purchasing is seeing stronger growth than in other Asian nations.
Notwithstanding the anticipated increase in online purchases amongst Asian buyers, the report also indicates that speaking over the phone or in person happens more frequently in Asia than in the United States or Europe. Asian buyers especially value establishing a relationship in person before purchasing online – this practice is most pronounced in China, where winning trust before doing business is a key part of the deal-making process.
“As technology progressively disrupts more and more industries, understanding buyer trends and adjusting to meet their demands is crucial. With the knowledge gained from the study, Korean manufactures can develop stronger strategies,” said Harrison Park, Managing Director of UPS Korea. “With APIs that easily integrate with existing enterprise technology, and products like UPS Returns, UPS has enabled the success of customers whether they’re looking to create an online presence or differentiate with post-sales service. The combination of UPS’s experience and insights gained from the study will equip us to deliver stronger solutions for our customers.”
อัพเดตข่าวสารและบทความที่น่าสนใจในอุตสาหกรรมโลจิสติกส์ก่อนใคร ผ่าน Line Official Account @Airfreight Logistics เพียงเพิ่มเราเป็นเพื่อน @Airfreight Logistics หรือคลิกที่นี่
