Against the backdrop of three consecutive years of declining performance, the 24th edition of Great Singapore Sales (GSS) took a step towards digital to rejuvenate sales this year. Its digital solution materialised in the form of the GoSpree mobile app, which equips users with offers and deals in the form of eCoupons that can be downloaded in app for redemption at designated stores.
At the time of its launch on 9 June 2017, the app was reportedly carrying more than 47,000 eCoupons from around 100 retailers, food and beverage operators, hotels and attractions.
While the GoSpree app was introduced amid the GSS fanfare, how well did it really fare over the past two months?
Before GSS drew to an end on 13 August 2017, ShopBack conducted a survey to find out the appeal of this year’s GSS and the GoSpree app amongst its users.
Out of 1,000 responses, 625 people shopped during GSS this year. However, when asked if they used the GoSpree app, only 6.0% indicated that they did. Majority either knew about the app but did not use it, or did not know about the app at all.
Qn: Do you use the GoSpree app?
Among the 6% who used the GoSpree app, more than half of them interacted with it at most once a month. Given that GSS was held slightly over two months, interaction with the app was suboptimal and almost negligible.
Qn: How often did you use the app during this year’s GSS?
For those who were not aware of the GoSpree app, we asked if they would download it after learning a little more about it. 58.5% indicated interest, while the rest remained unconvinced.
Qn: GoSpree app is a free mobile app launched with GSS. It allows users to access coupons and discounts to be redeemed over-the-counter in various stores participating in the event. Knowing this information, would you download the GoSpree app?
ShopBack’s audience consists of tech-savvy individuals who use the Cashback platform to make smarter purchase decisions, ranging from daily essentials like rides to big ticket items like flights.
As ShopBack appears to attract the type of user profile that the GoSpree app aims to optimise for, the three-year-old start-up delved deeper into its gathered user data to find out three plausible ways for the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) to increase the GoSpree app’s uptake.
Fashion was the most popular category during GSS, followed by health & beauty, dining and electronics & appliances. Turning up the volume and variety of offerings in these categories could help to make the GoSpree app more exciting for consumers.
Qn: During this year’s GSS, which category of items did you purchase from? (Check up to 3 categories)
When asked about the types of stores they frequent most during GSS, over 80% chose online retailers, with a huge majority citing the accessibility and availability of product information as key reason for this preference.
The convenient access of information can be integrated into the offline world as well. SRA could take a leaf out of Alibaba’s book in this regard. For instance, Alibaba’s Hema marketplace allows consumers to use their app to scan an item and display product information instantaneously. The data will also be used to determine consumers’ preferences and enable relevant product recommendations.
Qn: During this year’s GSS, what type of stores did you purchase from? (Check more than one if applicable)
Over 55% referred online sources as their main knowledge platform for this year’s GSS. SRA could consider pouring more investment into the online space to drive mass distribution for the GoSpree app. Compared to the offline space, there are more accurate tools available to track online marketing spend and its effectiveness in driving awareness.
Qn: Where did you hear about this year’s GSS?
In conclusion, while the intent of the GoSpree app is good, consumers need more reasons to download an additional app that will eat up memory and data space. If the GoSpree app is able to expand beyond redeemable eCoupons to encompass more functions, it might become an indispensable app connecting both the offline and online space.
The ShopBack Group is Asia-Pacific’s leading shopping, rewards, and payments platform, serving over 40 million shoppers across 11 markets. In 2023, the Group expanded its offerings into Germany, signalling its entry into the European market.
Driven by the vision to be the world's most rewarding way to shop, ShopBack is dedicated to saving members money and time, while delivering delightful experiences with every purchase. The platform also enables merchants and brands to engage with their members in a cost-effective manner.
Founded in 2014, ShopBack now powers over US$4 billion in annual sales for over 20,000 online and in-store partners. Facilitating upwards of half a million transactions daily, ShopBack continues to provide value to both members and merchants through its innovative offerings. Notably, its payment solution, ShopBack Pay, offers members a convenient and rewarding payment option at checkout.
