According to Mom Central Consulting, in the U.S., new moms go online at almost twice the rate they did before giving birth. They are also willing to spend more to make the best possible purchases for their babies, on everything from infant seats and strollers to baby formula.
The landscape in Asia is showing signs of a similar trend, as evidenced by brands and websites zeroing in on the new-mom audience, in particular in the social and e-commerce space.
For new moms, social networks are places to seek advice and support, while sharing knowledge and experiences. For example, Webtretho.com in Vietnam, the largest women’s and parenting portal in Vietnam, boasts 4 million monthly visits.
It seems that many of their conversations revolve around brands and products, and as a result, moms are assuming a role of brand ambassador with growing influence. According to “Secret online lives of Asia’s mothers,” a research study by Microsoft® and Starcom MediaVest Group®, 80% of surveyed moms agree that, “good brands are worth talking about.” Furthermore, 59% of Asian moms say they could “always” persuade their family and friends to buy the same items they buy, with 72% Indian and Malaysian moms saying the same. Interestingly, mothers in China even trust online communities more than their own friends and relatives when it comes to product recommendations for children.
With this in mind, brands and e-retailers need to think about their local shoppers when defining e-commerce strategies in order to ensure the user experience lines up. A relaxing and conducive digital storefront may be effective for Taiwanese moms, while in India, aggressive deals and promotions may keep value-seeking moms from looking elsewhere.
Contributed by Integer Asia-Pacific
Photo Source: Starcom China Blog
