60% of mainland online shoppers will bypass retailers and buy directly from brands

The survey found that 60% of mainland online shoppers would bypass retailers and buy directly from brands.

Jing News (reporter Yu Yanjun) yesterday, according to PwC's latest global multi-channel retail survey, Chinese consumers are shopping online at four times times the frequency of European consumers, nearly twice times the US and UK consumers, and about 70% per cent of mainland respondents say they shop online at least once a week, compared with about 40% in the US and UK, with the Netherlands , France and Switzerland are about 20%.

The survey showed that, although from the experience of online shopping, Chinese internet buyers have not been buying for long, but compared to other shoppers in the market, they have the highest frequency of online shopping and the best sense of expertise, and 86% per cent think they are "experienced" in this area. From the shopping category, the proportion of Chinese consumers buying clothing, footwear, books, music and movies online is about 60-65%, which is about 35-45% in other markets.

Ms. Yuya Kali, head of the retail and consumer goods industry in China and Asia Pacific, said the survey showed consumers in mainland China were becoming more mature and their online shopping ratios were growing. In view of this, retailers need to consider the role of their stores in the future. The most likely scenario is that these stores will be used for two distinct purposes. The first is to act as a showroom where customers feel the atmosphere, understand and experience products. The second is as a convenient transaction and pick-up site for customers online shopping process of the last stop.

In addition, mainland Chinese consumers have also led the trend to buy directly to the brand. The survey found that 60% of mainland online shoppers would bypass retailers and buy directly from brands. The ratio is 36% in Britain and 31% in Germany. In addition, mobile shopping is more popular in mainland China because of the popularity of mobile phones and the development of mobile networks over the speed of broadband installation.