Samsung SEAO Executive Byline Series: Engaging Digital-First Customers in Southeast Asia and Oceania

When you need to buy something today, where do you start your purchase journey? 

In the hyper-connected markets of Southeast Asia & Oceania (SEAO), online-first shopping is the clear preference. A study by Samsung showed that the long lockdown had led to more people shopping online, with 8 in 10 internet users surveyed[1] across Southeast Asia and Oceania having made an online purchase by end 2021. The top three drivers across the region were promotions and affordability, convenience, and wider selection of products available online.  

At Samsung, the customer-first mindset is at the center of our success as a global brand. For a brand that offers products ranging from large appliances like refrigerators and TVs, to pocket-friendly devices like wireless earbuds, a successful retail strategy today must go beyond enjoyable online and offline shopping experiences. It is more important than ever to also provide a seamless online-offline customer journey as consumers increasingly go to different channels to seek information on products and to make purchases.

Our refreshed e-commerce strategy - anchored on consumer trends

Since 2020, we have ramped up the transformation of our e-commerce strategy to ensure that our devices and services are accessible to customers in SEAO, a region defined by its vibrancy and diversity. To engage with the evolving needs of our consumers, including digital natives, we invested resources and deployed a refreshed e-commerce strategy in the region, anchored on three consumer-shopping trends that we have observed.  

1.     The need for customization: A critical consideration in designing the regional online retail journey was the ability to cater to the unique needs and expectations of our customers across culturally diverse markets. Instead of a ‘one size fits all’ approach, our Samsung.com platform is customizable by our local markets to adapt global and regional initiatives and create hyper-localized activities to better serve customers’ preferences.

The ability to provide personalized customer service is also key. We launched our vPromoter video call shopping service in countries such as Singapore and Thailand to allow customers to conveniently get instant answers and personalized product recommendations before carting-out online.

[1] The Covid-19 Consumer Insights Wave 5 was conducted as part of Samsung’s SEAO COVID-19 Tracking study, from 12 October 2021 to 27 October 2021. It surveyed 2,454 consumers, aged 18 to 60 years old, from the following 8 markets: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia ,Thailand, Malaysia and Philippines. 

2.     Fresh online and offline retail experiences are key: Today, creative engagements across different channels are a must to connect with shoppers and drive purchase decisions. For example, to help users picture how our products would fit into their homes and workspaces, we introduced Augmented Reality (AR) and Metaverse experiences.  

The ‘Help Me Choose’ tool on Samsung.com incorporates AR, where customers can simply scan the QR code with their mobile devices to see how their TV of choice will fit in their homes.

Collaborating with Naver Z’s ZEPETO, the largest metaverse platform in Asia, Samsung’s My House platform allowed visitors to design their dream homes in the metaverse and furnish it with Samsung products. The Galaxy S22 Treasure Hunt campaign in Southeast Asia last year took this further with interactive treasure hunt events in the metaverse coupled with hands-on My House experiences at local Samsung Experience Stores.

This seamless omnichannel experience doesn’t stop there. From the Samsung Online Store, our customers can book seats at complimentary workshops, support sessions or even engraving services for their Galaxy smartphones at selected Samsung Experience Stores.

The store pick-up option for the Samsung Online Store has been hugely popular all over the region, showcasing flexibility in meeting consumer demand, and raising the bar in shopping convenience.

 3.     Customers want to shop online everywhere: As digital-first lifestyles become more popular in Asia, the growing appetite for online shopping has led to the rise of channels like social commerce and live-selling.

To cater to this demand, we have been expanding our digital reach and working with leading e-commerce partners, such as Lazada and Shopee, on various shopping innovations and promotions including annual Super Brand Day events and livestream sales.  

We have also been experimenting with social commerce to convert scrollers to shoppers. For example, we piloted the Model Homes campaign in Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, which takes consumers on an immersive shopping journey, from carefully crafted visual stories centered on model homes to the Samsung Instagram store and finally, our Online Store. 

Creating a win-win-win for customers, retail partners, and Samsung

The backbone of our retail strategy is undoubtedly our entire retail ecosystem. Our customers have long, trusted relationships with our retail partners, who we rely on to continue serving our customers across the region.

Even as we invest in new digital and direct-to-consumer initiatives, we continue to work closely with our retail partners to bring the best shopping experiences to their physical and online stores. By offering them our own learnings and insights gleaned from our experiences globally and regionally, we hope to help our retail partners succeed with their online retail strategies.

Our end goal is to create a more integrated omnichannel experience for our customers in the region, creating a win-win-win for our customers, our retail partners, and for Samsung.