Apesar da recente turbulência política e econômica, a Tailândia continua sendo uma força do consumidor a ser reconhecida. O crescimento geral do país é lento em comparação com o de economias em rápido desenvolvimento, como Índia e Vietnã. Mas identificamos bolsões de forte crescimento em certas categorias de consumidores, e o comércio eletrônico está aumentando rapidamente. Além disso, a crescente renda de Thaland está gerando otimismo sobre o futuro entre seu povo e está aumentando a demanda do consumidor por uma ampla variedade de produtos. (Veja a barra lateral.) Esta é uma boa notícia para as empresas que esperam fazer mais incursões na região. Mas onde os investimentos na Tailândia entregarão o maior retorno?
Trajetória ascendente da Tailândia
Over the past 40 years, Thailand’s economy has generally been healthy and growing, except for a period from 2013 through 2015, when political turmoil and a slowdown in global demand hurt Thailand’s exports and reduced the value of the country’s currency. Despite the temporary slowdown, Thai consumers are among the world’s most optimistic—largely because of their increasing standard of living. Thailand is a middle-income country, which the World Bank defines as a per capita annual income of between $1,026 and $12,475. Thailand falls at the upper end of that scale. More than half its citizens are members of the MAC population, defined as making over 10,000 baht ($100) per month.
até 2030, a população de Mac deve ser maior na Tailândia do que na Malásia hoje, e a classe rica da Tailândia está crescendo ainda mais rápida que a classe média. Esse aumento constante da renda está impulsionando a demanda e a compra do consumidor, apresentando uma oportunidade para empresas que oferecem produtos de consumo, opções de troca, bens de luxo e experiências. As empresas que podem intensificar e capitalizar a força da marca estarão bem posicionadas para aumentar sua participação de mercado entre esses consumidores ricos. Segmentamos os consumidores tailandeses em cinco faixas básicas de renda: pobres, que se referem às famílias subsistindo sobre a renda menor que o THB 10.000 por mês; aspirante, THB 10.000 a THB 15.000; emergente, THB 15.000 a THB 30.000; estabelecido, THB 30.000 a THB 50.000; e rico, mais de THB 50.000 por mês. Para os propósitos deste estudo, consideramos os últimos três segmentos de renda- emergentes, estabelecidos e ricos- como constituindo a população da classe média e rica (MAC) da Tailândia (MAC). Analisamos seus padrões de compra e gasto em 51 categorias de produtos, desde aparelhos e roupas até alimentos para álcool e lanches. Para aprofundar nossa compreensão dos consumidores tailandeses, realizamos uma série de grupos focais para explorar comportamentos on-line, comércio eletrônico, lugares onde as pessoas compram on e offline e o papel em evolução das mulheres nas decisões de compra. Experiências.
To answer this question and gain greater insight into consumer trends and behaviors, BCG’s Center for Customer Insight surveyed 4,000 Thai people aged 20 or older in all income classes and evenly split between men and women. We segmented Thai consumers into five basic income brackets: poor, which refers to households subsisting on income of less than THB 10,000 a month; aspirant, THB 10,000 to THB 15,000; emerging, THB 15,000 to THB 30,000; established, THB 30,000 to THB 50,000; and affluent, more than THB 50,000 a month. For the purposes of this study, we regard the last three income segments—emerging, established, and affluent—as constituting Thailand’s middle- and affluent-class (MAC) population.
All respondents indicated that they either directly make household purchase decisions or influence those decisions. We analyzed their purchase and spending patterns in 51 product categories, from appliances and clothing to alcohol and snack foods. To deepen our understanding of Thai consumers, we conducted a series of focus groups to explore online behaviors, e-commerce, places where people shop on- and offline, and the evolving role of women in purchase decisions.
Our analysis of the survey data and the focus group input reveals five major trends that are shaping Thailand’s consumer landscape:
- Growth is strong in categories that offer indulgences and experiences.
- As marcas são importantes, e os consumidores são muito leais à marca. Entrada para empresas que buscam expandir seu alcance e compartilhar a carteira nos mercados de consumo da Tailândia. Vejamos cada tendência mais de perto.
- Women have substantial buying power, even in traditionally nonfemale categories.
- A new social media model is driving e-commerce.
- Convenience stores are shaping shopper behavior.
These trends—and their strategic implications—provide critical input for companies seeking to expand their reach and share of wallet in Thailand’s consumer markets. Let’s look at each trend more closely.
O crescimento é forte nas categorias de indulgência e experiência
Our analysis shows pockets of strong growth in several product categories, reflecting Thailand’s rising affluence. For instance, small indulgences such as ice cream, cakes, chocolates, fresh milk, juices, bottled water, and crispy snacks increased their penetration of MAC and non-MAC households by 10% to 15% from 2013 through 2016. During the same period, some categories—such as frozen meals—grew even more, as much as doubling among some consumers, especially those in MAC households.
As incomes increase, however, Thai consumers—particularly upper-income shoppers—are spending even more on experiences such as dining out and leisure travel as well as on luxury products such as watches, jewelry, and smartphones. (See Exhibit 1.) For instance, only 31% of aspirant-class consumers dine out, compared with 68% of the affluent class, and affluent consumers spend nearly 300% more when they do. Thailand’s consumer patterns are similar to what we’ve seen in other countries as household incomes rise. Once consumers can meet their basic needs, demand for small indulgences increases first. Then, when earnings reach middle-income levels, luxury products and services become more popular—and experiences gain momentum.
Compared with other consumers in Southeast Asian countries, Thai people are more likely to spend and indulge, as reflected in their higher debt levels. The consumers we spoke to felt they deserve these indulgences because of their hectic lifestyles and tendency to work hard. By contrast, the typical Southeast Asian consumer is more inclined to save and invest.
Brands Matter, and Consumers Are Loyal
Although most consumers in Southeast Asia are very price conscious and will switch brands for better discounts or promotions, Thai consumers are willing to pay more for many of their favorite brands. In fact, our analysis indicates that people in Thailand are the most brand-conscious and brand-loyal consumers in the region. And they’re loyal to brands in a variety of categories, from soaps and cosmetics to foods, beer, and snacks. Of the consumers we surveyed, 75% agreed with the statement “I look for my favorite brand and purchase that,” compared with 39% in the Philippines and 40% in Vietnam. Companies that recognize this characteristic of the Thai consumer can build and leverage brand equity to create strong consumer pull and loyalty. But at the same time, a company’s brands must rank number one or two in a category in order to achieve strong loyalty among consumers.
Women Have Substantial Buying Power
By regional standards, Thai women are well educated, well paid, and digitally savvy. Thai women aged 15 or older have one of the highest employment rates (64%) of women in any global economy, including those in Asia, North America, and Western Europe. Their disposable income relative to Thai men’s is also higher than in other developed Asian economies. In 2015, 8.8 million Thai women had at least a high school education, compared with 8 million men.
Today’s Thai women are confident, liberated, and independent—and they feel secure when earning their own salaries. “Women are now equal to men,” an HR manager and mother said. “Earlier, it was not so. Today, women are more qualified, stronger, and confident. They have dual responsibilities, earning income for the household and raising a family.” Explained another woman, “Society is changing so fast because of exposure to social media, technology, education of women, the need for money, etc. So family dynamics and expectations of women also had to change.”
For these reasons, female shoppers in Thailand, especially those women who work, are more likely to be the primary decision makers for household purchases, compared with women in other Southeast Asian nations, even for products such as alcohol and durables, which have not traditionally been viewed as women’s categories. Women in general and single women in particular make purchase decisions across a variety of product categories, from items such as makeup and groceries to chocolate, tablet computers, and durables such as washing machines, refrigerators, and microwaves—a trend that only increased from 2013 through 2016. Interestingly, Thai women are also more likely than men to do research online (27% versus 21%) and buy products online (29% versus 18%). Shopping is a popular activity, a reward for working hard. Many consumers love the convenience of shopping online using laptops or mobile phones and like avoiding the traffic they encounter when shopping offline.
Thailand’s changing demographics also contribute to the increasing power of female shoppers. Families are becoming smaller, and birth rates are dropping. Nuclear families averaging three people are the norm today, and Thailand’s low birth rate puts it on a par with countries in the developed world. According to a recent consumer survey from BCG, Thailand also has more single women than other countries in Southeast Asia: 31%, com-pared with 26% in Indonesia and 23% in Vietnam.
New Social Media Model Drives E-Commerce
E-commerce in Thailand is growing at double-digit rates, as a result of the increasing use of the internet, smartphones, and credit cards. About 40% of purchases by Thai consumers are digitally influenced, and consumers reported conducting 50% to 60% of their online research for a wide variety of products on websites and apps such as Messenger, Instagram, Line, Kaidee, and Facebook. Thai consumers are comfortable buying most things online, except for jewelry, medicines, and perishable grocery items. And like elsewhere in Asia, Thailand has developed a social media model of online sales, where consumers sell to one another. Social media commerce accounts for more than 40% of online sales in categories such as phones and accessories, cosmetics, and clothing. (See Exhibit 2.)
Os compradores on -line tailandês são experientes. Eles entendem a diferença entre os vendedores de mídia social de alto risco e os mercados on-line estabelecidos, como Lazada e Alibaba. A maioria dos consumidores tailandeses descobre oportunidades de compras de mídia social por meio de anúncios no Facebook, Instagram e outros sites de mídia social. Um supervisor de vendas em um de nossos grupos focais tipifica o comprador de mídia social. Ele se juntou a um grupo de entusiastas da câmera local no Facebook e comprou uma lente de câmera de segunda mão no site de um vendedor que havia recebido boas críticas de seus amigos on-line. Uma dona de casa que conversamos com lojas no Facebook por meio de anúncios de exibição on -line e busca de produtos nos sites dos vendedores, mas ela fica de olho nos golpistas. “Eu sei que os vendedores às vezes trapaceiam”, explicou ela, “então eu peço principalmente itens de baixo valor, como acessórios telefônicos, cosméticos, maquiagem e figurinos de festas.”
O modelo de mídia social faz com que a compra on-line na Tailândia uma caça ao tesouro e uma aventura. Os compradores procuram pechinchas em suas marcas favoritas e negociam com pequenas empresas e indivíduos, na esperança de conseguir muito - e muitas vezes o sucesso. "Gosto que sou capaz de conversar com vendedores e negociar com eles", disse um comprador tailandês. As compras on-line nas mídias sociais são como visitar um mercado tailandês no mundo offline, onde o caos colorido reina, é esperado barganha e um produto de edição limitada ou compra incrível está chegando. Consumidores Urban (27,2%), suburbanos (21,6%) e rurais (20,8%) on -line, porque disponibiliza uma grande variedade de produtos para consumidores com acesso limitado às lojas. Nas áreas rurais, empresas pequenas e médias também compram on -line devido à conveniência. Ainda assim, os varejistas da Tailândia precisam de uma estratégia omnichannel porque muitos compradores pesquisam e compram
Online buying isn’t just an urban phenomenon; urban (27.2%), suburban (21.6%), and rural (20.8%) consumers alike shop online because it makes a wide variety of products available to consumers with limited access to stores. In rural areas, small and midsize businesses also buy online because of the convenience. Still, retailers in Thailand need an omnichannel strategy because many shoppers research and buy
Offline e online. Eles sabem como avaliar ofertas on -line e offline, entender os métodos de pagamento e entrega e reconhecer as diferenças entre as plataformas on -line. Dos consumidores que estão conectados digitalmente e ficam on -line, 95% têm smartphones. Os consumidores tailandeses também passam mais tempo on -line - três horas por dia, em média, em comparação com duas horas por dia gasto por seus colegas regionais. Os consumidores de 20 a 39 anos fazem as compras mais on-line. Os consumidores que compram nessas lojas tendem a comprar menos itens com mais frequência - e muitas vezes mais espontaneamente - em vez de fazer uma grande viagem semanal de compras para a casa. Além disso, a linha entre compras de supermercado e compras de conveniência está desfocada.
Compared with their regional peers, Thai consumers are digitally sophisticated. They know how to evaluate online and offline deals, understand payment and delivery methods, and recognize the differences among online platforms. Of the consumers who are digitally connected and go online, 95% have smartphones. Thai consumers also spend more time online—three hours per day on average, compared with two hours per day spent by their regional peers. Consumers aged 20 to 39 make the most online purchases.
Convenience Stores Are Shaping Shopper Behavior
Driven by demand and an increasing number of outlets, convenience stores are the fastest-growing channel in Thailand. Consumers who shop in these stores tend to buy fewer items more frequently—and often more spontaneously—rather than doing a major weekly shopping trip for the household. Moreover, the line between grocery shopping and convenience shopping is blurring.
Em parte, isso é resultado da mudança de estilos de vida. Um consumidor de 35 anos de classe média explicou por que ele faz compras em uma loja de conveniência próxima: "Meu trabalho é muito exigente. Normalmente, não estou em casa até 22h e, nos fins de semana, quero passar um tempo com meus filhos, não dirigir um longo caminho para hipermercados e ficar em filas". Embora o 7-Eleven carregue quase tudo o que ele precisa, ele deseja vender mercadorias em tamanhos maiores. Uma mulher tailandesa que fica em casa com seus filhos começou a fazer compras às 7 e eleva depois que ela teve filhos, explicando: "Não sei como dirigir e teria que levar um táxi para o hipermercado. Agora, apenas compro o que preciso de 7-Eleven. A participação no volume total de vendas diminuiu de 59% para 54%. Por outro lado, as lojas de conveniência relataram um CAGR de 10% durante o mesmo período, e sua participação no volume total de vendas aumentou de 14% para 19% - uma tendência que esperamos continuará com base nos resultados da nossa pesquisa. Os consumidores tailandeses disseram que planejam aumentar seus gastos em lojas de conveniência às custas de hiper e supermercados. Além de vender cigarros, bebidas alcoólicas, itens de supermercado e verão, lojas de conveniência na Tailândia oferecem refeições frescas - incluindo frutos do mar, carne e frango - para solteiros, ninhos vazios e famílias menores. Como em Taiwan e Japão, as lojas de conveniência são particularmente populares entre a demografia do envelhecimento rápido da Tailândia.
From 2011 through 2016, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of traditional mom-and-pop grocery stores was essentially flat at just 2%, and their share of total sales volume decreased from 59% to 54%. By contrast, convenience stores reported a CAGR of 10% during the same period, and their share of total sales volume increased from 14% to 19%—a trend we expect will continue on the basis of our survey results. Thai consumers said they plan to increase their spending at convenience stores at the expense of hyper- and supermarkets.
Convenience stores have a more limited assortment of merchandise than supermarkets, but consumers perceive that these shops offer better service and greater convenience. In addition to selling cigarettes, liquor, grocery items, and sundries, convenience stores in Thailand offer fresh meals—including seafood, meat, and chicken—for singles, empty nesters, and smaller families. As in Taiwan and Japan, convenience stores are particularly popular among Thailand’s rapidly aging demographic.
das redes de lojas de conveniência concorrentes, Big C e Tesco obtiveram a maior pontuação com os consumidores em variedade, enquanto o 7-Eleven recebeu as melhores notas por conveniência e serviço. Varejistas regionais como 7-Eleven (operados pela Charoen Pokphand Foods na Tailândia), FamilyMart e Lawson têm planos de crescimento ambiciosos. De acordo com o Bangkok Post, o 7-Eleven alocará 60% de suas despesas de capital planejadas (9,5 bilhões de baht a 10 bilhões de baht) este ano para expansão e reforma da loja. Já estava presente em mais de 10.000 lojas até o final de junho de 2017.
Olhando para o futuro
Empresas que desejam expandir seu alcance na Tailândia devem entender como as preferências e comportamentos do consumidor estão mudando de que o Raplond Rapidas de Rapidas. As empresas prospectivas podem desenvolver uma estratégia eficaz para fazer incursões adicionais nos mercados mais promissores do país. As principais perguntas a serem feitas incluem:
Using these insights on Thai consumers as a starting point, forward-looking companies can develop an effective strategy for making further inroads into the country’s most promising markets. Key questions to ask include:
- Que produtos de luxo acessíveis ou experiências diferenciadas podemos oferecer a crescente classe rica? Necessidades? Grow.
- How can we upgrade our brand image, strengthen our brand equity, and extend that equity to new or adjacent offerings, especially as consumers move from the middle class to the affluent class?
- How can we target women and their unique needs?
- Do we need to rethink our channel strategy in light of the growing importance of e-commerce and the trend toward convenience stores?
- How can we avoid channel conflict?
The answers to these central questions will point the way to the right branding, packaging, pricing, marketing, and distribution decisions—and a competitive edge as Thailand’s consumer markets continue to grow.
