Mobile is so widely used in China that it has influenced the way business is conducted and trends in outbound travel.
Alex Shen, strategic partnership manager at GetYourGuide, revealed at her presentation at WIT Bootcamp 2016 in Singapore that the three most popular online activities are shopping online, paying with mobile, and sharing with friends.
There are currently 1.3 million online shoppers in China, surpassing even the US.
One of the reason for the popularity is companies build trust among consumers, so they are comfortable to buy online.
About 45% of online purchases are made on a mobile with 55% on laptop. However, the percentage of mobile purchase will only judging from the current trend in mobile purchase.
Alex Shen: Mobile first approach could help business in China.
Shen added that the speed in delivering online orders also helps boost online buying.
“Logistic also flies. Online purchase can be delivered the next day, and this changed buying behaviour to last minute,” she added.
The strong usage of mobile among Chinese has also affected buying pattern in travel.
This is supported by Maggie Rauch, senior research analyst with Phocuswright who revealed in her presentation “Eye over Asia” that 60% of travellers aged between 18-24 bought their last outtbound package via mobile.
On mobile payment Shen said it is popular especially in Tier 1 cities, and also influencing how travellers pay online. For example, Alipay, China’s largest third party. online payment solution is adapting to how travellers pay.
The Chinese also loves to share their activities, holidays, and photos with families and friend via social media. WeChat, the free message and calling app, is the most popular with 700 million users.
Based on these developments in mobile Shen told delegates that a mobile first approach could position their business well in the Chinese market.
