Criteo findings also reveal improvements in air travel in the region
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 28 May 2021 – Criteo S.A. (NASDAQ: CRTO), the global technology company powering the world’s marketers with trusted and impactful advertising, today announced their latest research around ecommerce trends observed during Ramadan this year, which took place from 12 April to 12 May.
The second year in a row that Muslims are observing Ramadan under COVID-19 conditions, Criteo’s data revealed an uptick in indexed traffic and sales in Southeast Asia[1], when compared to the baseline[2]. Regional retailers saw a surge on 2 May, with a 26% increase in traffic and 21% increase in sales, respectively.
“As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions across our region, worshippers had to adjust their observance of the holy month of Ramadan. With social distancing measures deterring gatherings in large groups, consumers are rethinking their buying patterns, regarding areas such as gift giving. It is key that marketers and brands understand these shifts and engage consumers with what they need the most, especially during important observances,” explained Taranjeet Singh, Managing Director, Southeast Asia and India, Criteo.
Fig 2: Indexed values based on average sales across devices in Southeast Asia from before Ramadan (12 Mar-11 Apr) to Ramadan 2021 (12 Apr – 12 May)
COVID-19’s Impact on Consumer preferences and behaviors during Ramadan
Comparing purchasing patterns during Ramadan pre-COVID, in 2019, and this year, Criteo data revealed that the growth in purchases this year have only been in two categories – Fashion/Luxury, and Mass Merchant[3] products. Criteo also found that the Fashion/Luxury category outperformed Mass Merchants during Ramadan, with a 50% increase from baseline from 23 April to 5 May.
In 2019, however, top product categories were in Health and Beauty, Electronics, Toys and Games as well as Home and Living. The trends observed this year are likely to be due to consumers not being able to commemorate Hari Raya in large social settings or house visitations, as a result of distancing measures.
