MANILA, Philippines — A month from now, the shopping season goes on full blast with the "Ber" months.
Yes, amid the pandemic, shopping still thrives in the form of mega sales on e-commerce sites. And for this upcoming shopping season, "shoppertainment" is going to be the key word.
A portmanteau of shopping and entertainment, a study commissioned by short-form platform TikTok predicted "shoppertainment" as a key driver of e-commerce this season.
Uplifting content while shopping
The Nielsen Global Authenticity Study commissioned by TikTok found that most shoppers now want not only the convenience of online shopping but, more importantly, being able to feel good while at it. This phenomenon was highlighted in TikTok's survey, where one in three users stated that they want to make purchases and feel good about themselves.
As a short-form platform, TikTok has evolved from trending dance tutorials or song covers. It has also become an avenue for inspirational and aspirational videos where viewers can find a sense of fulfillment and joy. With a wide range of marketing features such as Branded Effects, Hashtag Challenges, and Livestreams, 91% of users find the content on TikTok to be unique or different from that of competitors.
Short-form videos are now more preferred marketing tools
Short-form videos that could only be as short as 30 seconds or not longer than two minutes tend to gain more traction as these are easily seen and understood by many.
As the study suggested, 83% of users prefer to see video ads from brands over GIFs or text posts.
New brands and unplanned purchases are going to be the rage this season.
With the changing of times and unpredictability of the pandemic comes changes with the way shoppers shop.
Based on TikTok's 2021 survey conducted among over 1,800 Southeast Asian users in March 2021, 82% reported purchasing a new brand instead of a regular brand during mega sales. In addition, 55% made unexpected purchases, even when they had prepared a shopping list.
Interestingly, TikTok data also shows that during this time, consumers shop more across all categories. It's an opportune time for brands to tap into this observation, especially since TikTok's commissioned study also showed that 67% of users felt happy or excited about the mega sales shopping season.
What's good news for TikTok is that its users admitted to discovering new brands or products while on the app. Consequently, 89% made an unplanned and impulsive purchase after viewing a TikTok video. Additionally, the viral #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend, where users showcase items they bought after seeing a video on the platform, has amassed an impressive 3.6 billion views.
“This year, we are seeing a rise of Shoppertainment -- a convergence of content and commerce -- where shoppers expect not just to be sold to, but to be entertained as well. Instead of people searching for products, products are now searching for people. We hope these insights can help businesses own their Mega Sale moment and engage with TikTok’s community of happy users. Happy users, happy buyers!” said Ng Chew Wee, Head of Business Marketing, TikTok Southeast Asia.