Smartphones the go-to for internet access in South East Asia, finds Limelight Networks research

The report surveyed 1,600 consumers in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Philippines aged 18 and over.

“Our new research shows that nearly half of adult consumers in South East Asia are online 16 hours or more each week, outside of work, and they have high expectations for website performance, especially when it comes to e-commerce,” said Jaheer Abbas, regional sales director, Limelight.

“Nearly everyone surveyed said that they’re likely to recommend a brand to a friend if they have a positive web experience, and on the flip side, that they’ll leave and go to a competitor if it isn’t a good experience, ” he added.

While consumer behaviour was consistent throughout the region, there were some notable quirks, such as only 53% of Singaporeans having the desire for a personalised web experience, compared to 67% across the region.

Singapore has another notable exception in the report, where the majority (24%) spent their time on social media to find online coupons while shopping, compared to 34% of the region whom spent their time finding out what their friends and family said about a product.

People in Philippines are more tolerant of a slow loading website as 44% said they were least likely to abandon a slow loading website to purchase from elsewhere, compared to 35% across the region. Similarly, while 43% of the region will abandon a slow loading site to purchase from elsewhere, only 37% of Philippinos will do so.

The South East Asia region appears to be more forgiving of slow loading sites, with 77% indicating they would give the website another chance.

The report ,like other reports about the region, stresses the importance of prioritising mobile, and understanding the cultural nuances while ensuring website performances are optimised to keep visitors engaged.