Online shopping trends in India are expected to continue to ride the waves of popularity, made easier and more convenient by the deep penetration of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. Online shopping has increased rapidly in the country in recent times, and consumers in India indicate that they are likely to shop online more frequently in forthcoming years, according to CBRE’s India Consumer Survey 2015.
A large majority of Indian shoppers anticipate spending more through both online as well as physical retail platforms in coming years. However,a much larger percentage (nearly 80 per cent)of shoppers feel that they are likely to spend more via online shopping routes, in comparison to those who expect to spend more at physical stores.
Expectedly, out of those who expect to spend more online, nearly 85 per cent are in the age group of 18–24 years. Of those who anticipate spending more in coming years regardless of the retail platform, most of their purchases are also expected to be online.What may be of particular concern for brick-and-mortar stores is that this trend is accentuated across consumersfrom higher-income households in India.
According to the CBRE’s survey, almost 70 per cent of the Indian shoppers interviewed feel that they are likely to shop more often from a desktop/laptop; while nearly 60 per cent expect to use tablets/smartphones more often to shop online. With a large majority of the survey respondents preferring to use online platforms more often in coming years, it becomes imperative for retailers in the country to focus more on developing their online presence for a faster penetration into the Indian market.
It would seem that Indian consumers have been increasingly embracing online shopping, despite concerns regarding internet penetration in the country. Consequently, retailers would be advised to adopt a dual-platform business model, enabling them to leverage on the marketing value of physical stores while extending promotions and sales across internet portals. Meanwhile, retailers also need to grow and evolve their in-store experiences—perhaps concentrating more on visual merchandizing and/or enhancing the sensual aspect of shopping—to continue to stay relevant and compete with the convenience of online shopping, the report said.
