Driving Asian Americans to Your Ecommerce Site
For many reasons, Asians in the U.S. should be a prime target for marketers who sell goods and services via an eCommerce website. Due to their fast population growth, younger age, higher income and buying power, and affinity for all things digital, Asian Americans are ideal consumers for online transactions.
FAST GROWING & AFFLUENT
Asian Americans are the fastest growing & most affluent multicultural segment in the U.S. Since 2000, Asian Americans are experiencing the highest growth rate of any multicultural segment, slightly outpacing the Hispanic population.
- Asians remain the fastest growing group with 3.4% increase in population from July 2015 to July 2016. Hispanic growth was at 2.2%.
- The current Asian American population is approximately 21 million, and approximately 6% of the total U.S. population. By 2060, the Asian American population is projected to reach 39 million and make up almost 10% of the total population.
- Asian American growth is primarily fueled by steady immigration, especially from India and China. In fact, in 2013, China replaced Mexico as the top sending country for immigrants to the U.S.
- Asian American household median income is $74,829, 39% greater than the total population’s median income of $53,657.
- Majority of Asian Americans have household income greater than $75K
- Asian American buying power is at $825 billion, and is expected to increase 32% to $1.1 trillion by 2020.
DIGITAL MAVENS
Most importantly for marketers who utilize eCommerce sites, Asian Americans are online more than any other ethnic group, and continue to lead the general population in adopting the latest technology.
- Asian Americans exceed the general population in in smartphone ownership and number of HHs with tablets, smart TVs, video game consoles, and multimedia devices that stream content.
- 93% of Asian American households have high-speed Internet access, and over-index the total population by 16%.
- On average, Asian Americans spend 80 hours surfing the internet each month. They view 3600 web pages monthly, 1000 pages higher than any other demographic group.
ASSETS THAT CAN DRIVE ASIANS TO YOUR ECOMMERCE SITE
COUPONS
Creating coupons redeemable strictly on an eCommerce site can drive Asian Americans to purchase online. Asians are a culture of savers and conduct extensive research to find the best possible deal, especially online. In-language coupons featuring products/services relevant to the Asian American lifestyle would be optimum. Online tactics can include utilizing coupon/discount websites, or making them downloadable on a separate in-language microsite dedicated to Asian consumers. Coupons distributed via email, text messaging, within video or a mobile app, and shareable on social media are ways to get your coupon to Asian Americans. Print ads, direct mail, POS, and event/street team materials can also be used for distributing coupons offline.
MICROSITES & LANDING PAGES
In-language landing pages and/or microsites, which can be direct translations of the General Market version, new creative, or a combination of both, can help Asian American customers navigate a marketer’s eCommerce site. These pages should highlight and link to products most relevant to Asian Americans. By creating a more relevant, user friendly shopping experience, you can boost sales and brand affinity among Asian Americans.
PROMOTIONS
Planning Asian American promotions during times when Asians are most likely to shop, such as Lunar New Year, Diwali, Mother’s Day, and of course, Christmas, will draw Asian Americans to an eCommerce site. Promote loss leaders most relevant to the Asian American lifestyle. The customer’s experience can also be improved by creating a microsite dedicated to the promotion and linked to your eCommerce site.
SEARCH
As previously mentioned, Asian Americans are thorough in finding the best deal. Search marketing should be included to help Asians locate your eCommerce site. Optimizing search by purchasing in-language keywords can increase visibility of your eCommerce site. Partner with Asian bloggers and influencers. Associating your brand with popular online personalities can increase the likelihood that an Asian American will like, find, and purchase your products.
When it comes to increasing business via an eCommerce site, marketing efforts tailored to Asian Americans can generate lucrative results, especially industries that have significance in the Asian American lifestyle, such as Cable TV, telecommunications, tech, education, travel & leisure, financial, and luxury items. They are a prime audience for online shopping, and can become loyal customers by using relevant, engaging content and a user-friendly transactional experience.