As with most things, online shopping too has caught the attention of the world. Though this trend has been evolving over the last one and half decade in India, its growth has never been so steep as in the last couple of years. With free time becoming a rarity and more demanding tasks like helping kids in giving shape to their hobbies and tastes, online buying has come to become a necessity. This is evidenced by the projected growth of online shoppers in India from the current level of 225 million to 500 million by 2030 by a leading media group. Deeper internet penetration and use of smartphones consequent to the drop in data prices are fueling this phenomenon.
This ‘techtonic’ shift can be attributed to several reasons like the emergence of a tech savvy generation with deep pockets, and the value they place on their time. With nearly 45% of the Indian population being under 35 years of age, the yesteryear habits of flocking to brick and mortar stores are on the decline.
Plus the convenience factor of online shopping as opposed to the traditional marketplace has almost decisively tilted the scales in the favor of online shopping. The current pandemic conditions for over a year and half has propelled the growth in the number of online shoppers.
The advantages of buying online are too compelling for the shoppers to ignore this convenience driven mode of shopping. This fact is underlined by the reality that the volume of Indian e-commerce orders shot up by 36% in the last quarter of 2020. According to a Bain & Company report, India’s social commerce gross merchandise value (GMV) stood at ~US$ 2 billion in 2020. By 2025, it is expected to reach US$ 20 billion, with a potentially monumental jump to US$ 70 billion by 2030, owing to high mobile usage.(ref: https://www.ibef.org/industry/ecommerce-presentation)
8 Top Reasons Why Shoppers Prefer Online Shopping
While the reasons for preferring online shopping may vary from individual to individual, several basic factors act as a common thread in this mass migration.
Hassle Free & Saves Time: We find ourselves living in a convenience-driven society. In a few minutes, one can complete buying a month’s household needs online. The entire transaction of placing order, settling payment and leaving delivery coordinates are achieved in less than ten minutes, thus saving a huge bother for you. Added to this, all this activity can be performed from the palm of your hand, from the comfort of your home. Multipurpose apps like Xirify are enabling residents of Pune to shop in their neighborhood's favorite outlet without stepping out of their homes.
Choice: When you shop online you enjoy a wider choice of products as compared to physical shoppers. It provides you a quick opportunity to compare and decide before placing confirmed orders, and derive value for your spend.
Safety: Online shopping affords more safety and minimizes exposure that is inherent in physical shopping. Why would you bother to navigate through the traffic snarls or rub shoulders with milling crowds when you can complete all your purchases online and receive them at your doorstep?
Peer Reviews: One of the best things of online shopping is the benefit of reading what people have to say about the product/service before buying it. Recall, when was the last time you took your family to a new restaurant without getting to read about its quality of food and service? Chances are you are yet to do that! That is the power of recommendation. Online shopping empowers you with actionable information. You are not taking a walk in the wilderness.
Bargain Hunting: As a measure to attract more customers and retain existing ones, online sellers offer discount deals and coupon codes. Since the availability of products online is high and the competition among sellers stiff, they tend to float such attractive schemes.
Ease of payment: No need to stand in long queues as in physical stores to complete your purchases. When you shop online, options of payment are multiple- like Online Payment, UPI, and Digital payment facilities. No more the hassle of looking for change or dealing with hard currency.
Confidentiality: Online shopping provides ultimate confidentiality. No third person would know what you are purchasing or what your tastes and buying habits are. It remains totally personal. No bother of being exposed to security cameras as in super markets. You can just sit back, take out your device, place the order, and that’s it! Why would you say NO to such privacy!
Ease return & refunds: Again, pay only when the order is accepted, and communicate directly with the store and settle your concerns regarding return and refund without involving any third party. That is as easy as that. With multipurpose apps like Xirify, there is no long waiting period of 2 to 3 weeks for your refunds to be processed and credited to your account. Also, before making your purchase you can read store ratings and reviews given by other online shoppers who have ordered from the business before, which helps in making an informed decision.
With such decisive advantages loaded in favor of online shopping, it is not surprising that online shopping platforms are teeming with buyers. No ruffled tempers, no queue jumpers! Get on the platform and enjoy shopping!
Download Xirify Shopping App today and enjoy the comfort and convenience of online shopping. Available on Google Play & App Store
