Online marketing popular among 80 percent Indians, says study

A new study has revealed that 80 per cent of the Indian shoppers prefer to buy online instead of visiting different stores to buy their favourite products. The study undertaken by Yahoo and Mindshare has analysed the behaviour of consumers and found that 31 per cent of the shoppers opt for online shopping in order to save time and effort that might be spent on physically going to stores to buy the same products.

The other reasons which drove customers to online shopping were discounts and promotions, and convenience. Nearly 28 per cent went for discounts while 21 per cent opted for convenience. The study also brought into focus how more consumers are opting for mobile phones to make online purchases as opposed to other electronic devices.

Experts believe that the e-commerce landscape in India is the most dynamic in the world and this is due to the rapidly evolving mobile ecosystem. M A Parthasarthy, Chief Product Officer, Mindshare South Asia explains how the study will help them to develop sharper, more connected communication strategies for brands.

As per the study, most consumers use only mobile devices while making purchases related to apparels, electronic devices, baby and pet care products. And most of the purchases made over mobile phones are usually regular or impulsive buys rather than expensive ones. About 30 per cent people prefer buying products of personal hygiene from the store itself.

The study provides marketers with insights into India so that they can sharpen their digital and mobile commerce initiatives and build a strong mobile strategy. It also shows that consumer path-to-purchase is turning more complex and nonlinear, with mobile at the centre of this evolution.