The FINANCIAL — International retailers are trending among online shoppers in Mexico, as 78% percent of Mexican consumers confirm having made an online international purchase, mainly from the United States (73%).
According to surveyed respondents who purchased from an international retailer, 36% were driven by lower prices, and 44% wanted unique products not found from Mexican retailers. These are a few of the consumer insights included in the latest UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper globalstudy.
The report by UPS and conducted by comScore Inc. provides insights into Mexican online shoppers’ habits from pre-purchase to post-delivery.
“E-commerce consumption in Mexico is continuing to boom with sales expected to reach US $17.6 billion by 20201. This is positioning the country as one of the most attractive markets for domestic and international sellers,” said Michael Cuesta, marketing director for UPS Mexico. “Retailers and their customers will be defined less by geographic location and more by how they connect with each other. This study helps retailers understand today’s avid Mexican online shopper to better meet customer demands.”
Personalized preferences
According to the study, convenience, shipping and logistics are consumer preferences that continue to influence their purchase decisions.
When it comes to convenience, the study shows that Mexico shoppers prefer to have more than half (52%) of their orders delivered to alternative delivery locations. In the past year, they had 41% of their orders delivered to alternative delivery locations.
Ship-to-store is another trend amongst Mexican shoppers, where 42% confirmed having used this method at least once in the past year. Retailers should be keen on engaging consumers during in-store pickups, as 65% of these shoppers made additional purchases when physically collecting their orders at stores, and 39% of these consumers indicated they are likely to select ship-to-store more often in the next year. This underscores the importance for retailers to provide an excellent shopping experience both online and in-store.
Regarding delivery preferences, Mexican consumers have expressed they are willing to wait, on average, five days if paying for shipping and eight days if using free shipping. The study also indicates Mexico as one of the countries in which consumers expect expedited shipping options to be available. They choose expedited international shipping, on average, 31% of the time.
E-Marketplace Muscle
Almost two-thirds (64%) of online shoppers in Mexico prefer to make a purchase at e-marketplaces, followed by manufacturers (24%), and retailers (12%). Mexican online shoppers cited prices (63%), followed by free and discounted shipping options (57%) as the primary reasons to shop at e-marketplaces. These sites have also proven to be a reliable source for Mexican consumers to research and buy products. According to the study, 71% of respondents stated they are likely to research products using e-marketplaces, and 74% indicated they are likely to purchase products on e-marketplaces more in the next year.
Social Media Influence
According to the study, 60% of Mexican consumers confirmed that social media channels influence their purchasing decisions. Facebook continues to be the most widely-used social platform for overall social media usage (75%), followed by YouTube (71%), Twitter (59%), Instagram (51%), and Pinterest (44%).
The Mobile Mindset
The study also cites a rise in mobile consumption, indicating 57% of Mexican smartphone users surveyed have made online purchases using their device in the past year, while 93% used their smartphones to locate stores or look up store-related information. Furthermore, 92% researched products on their mobile device prior to visiting a store, 91% compared prices among retailers, and 91% tracked delivery of an order. Nine out of every 10 online shoppers in Mexico use a smartphone, and the percentage of purchases made using this type of device ranks Mexico (27%) above other countries, such as Brazil (25%), the United States (17%), and Canada (15%). Moreover, 49% of respondents in Mexico plan to shop more on their mobile device in the coming year.
What’s In Store for Stores?
According to the study, technological tools such as live chat and chatbots are important to consumers. While searching for products, 69% of respondents indicated the importance to be able to ask questions in real time via live chat, while 66% stated they are satisfied to use this during the purchasing process.
Additionally, chatbots are playing a major role in this area with 65% of Mexican respondents stating they are comfortable to use them to get further information about products.
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