Ambitious online plan for Tesco Thailand

Tesco Thailand aims to double its online shopping sales annually for the next three to five years.

Local digital and online business director for the UK-owned Tesco Lotus business, Wanna Swuddigul, told The Nation newspaper Thai shoppers are looking for instant access to product information and to be able to buy while they browse. The company’s eCommerce site is especially popular in Bangkok and larger Thai regional cities. More than three in four shoppers are female.

“The largest age groups are 25-44 years old. Most online customers are mid- to up-market customers,”Swuddigul said.

“As demand tends to come from customers living in urban areas, Tesco Lotus has recently introduced a new delivery service at lockers located at 48 condominiums along the BTS and MRT lines, in prime residential neighbourhoods such as Sukhumvit, Sathorn, Ratchada, Phayathai and Phaholyothin,” she said.

Tesco Lotus launched an online store in 2012, claiming to be the first major Thai retailer to do so.

Besides its own store, Tesco Lotus offers more than 9000 items on the Lazada online mall.

Tesco Lotus uses big data to carefully monitor changing customer preferences for products and service expectations so as to constantly update the range online.

“By constantly listening to what our customers want and need, we innovate services and solutions that address their pain points,” she told The Nation.

“We aim at least to double the growth of our online sales and order numbers every year, as we have done since the launch of our online business in 2012.”

The best-selling categories online are cold beverages, household chemicals and cooking needs, such as seasonings.

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