Shopping Study says Indians most likely to shop through social media

Pitney Bowes Inc announced the results of its second annual Global Online Shopping Study. The largest number of consumers who would consider buying products online from social media sites the report states, are in India (27 percent), followed by Brazil (15 percent) and Russia (14 percent).

Also, online shoppers in India (38 percent) ranked the highest for searching for products on social media sites, followed by Brazil (21 percent) and China (20 percent). Nearly a quarter of consumers said they make the most online purchases on mobile devices — including mobile/smart phones, tablets or other devices — or a mix of devices. Online shoppers in the UK (37 percent), India (36 percent) and China (34 percent), and the US (29 percent) had the highest rates for using a mobile device, or mix of devices.

Price is the top reason (61 percent) shoppers have purchased or would consider purchasing a product from an online retailer outside of their own country, followed by availability (40 percent), quality and better selection (both 30 percent). Product authenticity was highest in India, (36 percent), China and South Korea (both 30 percent) and Russia (22 percent).

The research reveals that while international shoppers share some common similarities on how they are finding and buying products online, consumers have unique global shopping preferences and behaviours that vary by country. Retailers looking to expand their brands globally should consider cultural norms and shopping preferences of consumers around the world, it states.

The 2015 Pitney Bowes Global Online Shopping Study was conducted online by ORC International and surveyed approximately 12,000 adults across 12 countries regarding their perceptions, habits and preferences for making online purchases in August 2015. Consumers were polled in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.