Survey: Majority of Thais have tried online shopping

BANGKOK, 2 September 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Commerce has discovered that more than half of Thai citizens have shopped online while the majority is in support of legal action against crooked vendors on the internet.

Director of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office Somkiat Triratpan disclosed that an opinion poll has been conducted among 4,653 people in Bangkok and its vicinity regarding their online shopping behavior. Most of the respondents, or 56.87 percent, said they have experimented with online shopping. The majority of this group is comprised of Bangkok residents and people aged between 30 and 39 years.

They cited convenience and 24-hour product availability as the top reason for shopping online, followed by the home delivery service and the wide variety of goods. Most purchases are made on clothing, fashion accessories and shoes while average spending each time is 501-1,000 baht. Domestic sources of products appear to be more popular than those overseas.

As for the other 43.13 percent of respondents who have never shopped online, they admitted to being scared of fraudsters, not knowing how to use the internet and feeling unsure when not getting to see the merchandise before purchase.

Meanwhile, most respondents agreed that laws should be enacted to secure online shopping and sternly punish scammers. They also urged that origins of online products be declared to customers and that more channels be opened to receive consumer complaints.

Source: http://thainews.prd.go.th/