Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, has seen an acceleration in digital payments as Thais fulfil more daily needs online amidst the ongoing pandemic. Shopee saw an increase in the number of digital payments made on the platform since the beginning of the pandemic, with more people using options such as credit cards, bank transfers and AirPay to pay for their purchases. This trend is set to continue as “the Covid-19 outbreak and its aftermath are expected to prompt many more Southeast Asia households to embrace digital payments”, according to a report released by Boston Consulting Group1.
Agatha Soh, Head of Marketing, Shopee (Thailand) said, “2020 has brought about significant shifts in the way we live, work and shop online. Among these shifts is the accelerated move towards a cashless society across the region. In line with social distancing efforts, we see consumers embracing digital payments for greater convenience and security. Local governments are also stepping up their efforts to encourage this move. Similarly, Shopee continues to offer a wide range of digital payment options to cater to evolving needs, including AirPay, our mobile wallet.”
Shopee outlines 3 observations on digital payments in Thailand:
1. Increased adoption of digital payments among older users: 60% of the total number of purchases made using digital payments were by users between the ages of 18 to 34. However, older users are also starting to adopt digital payments when shopping online. A 30% increase in the number of AirPay transactions was observed on Shopee among users over the age of 50. Given older users typically find it harder to adapt to digital payments, this heartening trend illustrates the ease of use of AirPay and the trust it has built among users.
2. Men’s adoption of digital payments is higher than women: It appears that men increasingly value the convenience and security from digital payments. Over the past year, the rate of growth in the adoption of digital payments is 20% higher for men than for women.
3. Digital payments are more prevalent in urban cities: Cities like Bangkok, Nonthaburi province and Samut Prakan province have the highest adoption of digital payments. Larger cities which are key drivers of Thailand’s economic growth have better connectivity and a more developed IT infrastructure. Individuals in these cities also have better accessibility to smart phones, which contributes to the adoption of digital payments.
Shopee is committed to meeting the needs of its users. Through its integrated mobile wallet, AirPay, Shopee strives to ensure that users can shop and pay with ease. In addition to the ease of use, AirPay offers several benefits to users which includes convenience, a seamless user experience, security and greater cost savings.
Convenient and easy to top-up: AirPay is easy to top-up through a variety of methods. These include Credit/Debit cards, Bank transfer/Online Banking and Convenience stores. Through AirPay, users can make online payments, top up their wallet, transfer and withdraw funds.
Hassle-free and seamless shopping experience: In addition to online payments, AirPay users can also make payments offline at thousands of partner merchant locations, offering users a hassle-free and seamless shopping experience.
Safe and secure payment method: AirPay follows the highest security standards. There is also a dedicated 24h Customer Service team and users’ privacy is carefully protected by having an automated registration process.
Greater cost savings with AirPay promotions2 : AirPay users can enjoy regular promotions both online (in-app) and offline (third-party merchants), such as:
• Welcome gift for new users worth up to 400THB
• Fee rebate for utilities bills payment via AirPay
• Cashback promotions:
• 100% cashback for first purchase on Google Play via AirPay
• Scan & Get Shopee Coins: Scan QR Code and Pay via AirPay Wallet on Shopee or AirPay and receive up to 50% Shopee Coin Cashback.
• Scan & Pay on delivery: Scan and Pay via AirPay wallet for cash on delivery and services with Shopee Express and receive upto 30% coins cashback
• Special promotions from leading on-premise partnership including McDonald’s, Swensen’s, Dairy Queen, The Pizza Company, Sizzler, Burger King and many more
Soh closed, “As more consumers are turning to our platform to stay connected and fulfill their daily needs, we are committed to leveraging our key strengths to help consumers adapt to the new normal, and provide our users with easy access to digital payment services such as AirPay, through an integrated and secure ecosystem.”
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