Look: These are APAC’s busiest shopping days this holiday season

The shopping habits during the year-end holiday season in the Asia-Pacific region showcase remarkable diversity, according to an annual forecast shared by Sensormatic Solutions.

In Australia and New Zealand, majority of in-store shopping taking place on weekdays in December. Conversely, in other parts of APAC such as Singapore, shoppers are expected to begin their in-store shopping later, with busy shopping days occurring on or after Christmas Day. South Korea’s shopping patterns differ as well, with two of the busiest days falling in the latter half of November, coinciding with the national Sale Festa period.

In mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Korea, Sundays immediately preceding and following Christmas are anticipated to become significant in-store shopping days, and the aforementioned three markets are also slated to see slightly delayed in-store consumption this year.

“This bucking of the trend can be attributed to local preferences, as well as the sales and discounts that are offered around Christmas and the year end. Additionally, for China and Hong Kong, some of the top busiest shopping days fall around Lunar New Year, which is only taking place around mid-February 2024. This has further delayed the in-store shopping within these markets,” Daren Ng, vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific, at Sensormatic Solutions.

“While not a direct contributor on its own, global uncertainties – be it political or economic – are contributing to stubborn inflation across the region, which may dampen consumption. It is important to note that retail is constantly changing, and external or market pressures may impact the industry, but, that’s why it is more important than ever to focus on precision retail to be able to adapt and flex in an ever-evolving market,” Ng adds.

To capitalise and effectively engage with their target markets during the upcoming holiday season, retailers can adapt their strategies to cater to the unique shopping habits of consumers in different countries and regions.

Below, a look at predicted busiest shopping days in some Asia Pacific markets this December.

Australia