TARAD.com banks on 3G for big boost to e-commerce

During the first half of this year, smart-phone sales accelerated, accounting for 42 per cent of handsets sold in Thailand in the past 12 months, according to GfK. This trend, in tandem with the introduction of 3G services, is expected to expand the country’s online community and create endless opportunities for entrepreneurs in e-commerce, with merchants on the Rakuten TARAD.com platform in prime position.

“We updated our mobile platform last year in anticipation of the 3G service roll-out and have reaped the rewards, with 29 per cent of traffic and 13 per cent of sales coming via our dedicated m-commerce website, an increase of about 20 per cent,” said Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, founder and managing director of Rakuten TARAD.com. 

“We expect existing mobile Internet users to increase their usage and new smart-phone owners to try out m-commerce for the first time. People will spend more time online using their mobile devices, offering greater opportunities for e-commerce merchants to promote their goods, and today’s retailers must tap into mobile commerce to attract new customers as it becomes easier to surf and shop.” 

Kasikorn Research Centre has predicted digital content services on mobile will grow by more than 40 per cent this year. It expects 3G services, along with higher confidence in payment security and an increase in online marketing activities, to fuel a growth rate of 25-30 per cent in the e-commerce industry.

In addition to refreshing its mobile commerce site, Rakuten TARAD.com has boosted efforts on social media, recording significant growth of new fans on Facebook, leading to a 250-per-cent increase in sales. Key merchants have also used social media to increase exposure of their e-commerce sales channels, a prime example being Tao Kae Noi, Thailand’s leading seaweed-snack producer, promoting its Rakuten TARAD.com marketplace through LINE messenger.