JOIN US“It doesn’t take me long to shop. I can’t afford it to take too long,” says Laura Pinto, mother of two – a six-month-old girl and a five-year-old boy.
Laura could easily be the poster girl for Indian women e-shoppers. She shops in the dead of the night, clicking away, when all is peaceful at the Pinto house. She shops for everything, from floor cleaners and diapers, to shoes for herself and her son’s stationery.
“I don’t have the time, energy, and the peace of mind to shop at retail stores any longer. Online shopping is not just convenient, it’s retail therapy at the click of a button!” she says.
Despite the predominant Indian attitude to touch-and-feel even the regular brand of shampoo and look for bargains before tossing it into the shopping cart, online shopping is changing the game.
Features such as product zoom, well-defined size charts, colour availability, multiple-sized packs, return policy and smooth and safe door-step delivery is boosting customer confidence. Women buyers are in the forefront of this game globally, and Indian women, too, are soon catching up on the trend. Women, traditionally seen as the more cautious of the two genders, are making quick and informed decisions to shop online.
Meera Sanyal, a tiffin provider specialist, has discovered the convenience of shopping online for her household requirements. “I find it cumbersome to go to a mall or even the local store to shop for my daily requirements. Moreover, if I order over the phone from my local store, they don’t offer a single paisa lower than the MRP.
A webstore helps me save money, time and effort,” she says. Meera shops for wholegrain flour, sugar, tea, and other kitchen requirements, besides exotic veggies and spices that she requires to cook up her international recipes.
Let’s take a quick look at what’s selling online: apparel and accessories, baby care products, household products and, of course, electronics – the biggest draw of them all.
But why are they selling like hot cakes?
No driving to the nearest store/mall
No parking hassles/fuel expense
Shop anytime, from the cozy confines of your home
Avail EMI options
Check-out multiple options on the same site as well as competitor sites for more variety/deals
Safe door-step delivery
Access to special/branded/exotic products available without having to physically hunt for them
Plan and shop at your convenience for bulk products for special occasions such as parties
Shop for lingerie without facing sales persons
Shop during physical limitations such as an injury, later stages of pregnancy, initial months after delivery.
SHOP SMARTBeware while shopping online. Awareness and research help. To make the most of your e-shopping experience, ensure you have done your homework:
Check more than just pricingYes, lower pricing does make a difference, but delve into the delivery schedules and quality of products of the e-commerce site before ordering. Most sites have reviews available online. Even if a site doesn’t have a review (it may be new or undiscovered), read its contact details, shipping policy and even the “About Us” page to judge its credentials.
Look for deals around special datesMost sites have either a special day of the week or a ‘happy hours’ price. Most will also have a sale around festive dates. Some sites make special offers on their homepage for specific time periods (24-hours, for example). Cash in on them.
Decide on your payment optionCash-on-delivery is an option if you, or a family member, are available at the delivery address, all the time, to make the cash payment. Some courier services also make credit card terminals available at delivery, which allows you to swipe your card at the time of delivey.
Keep your payment secureOnline payment is not really a big deal and you can opt for it, too. If you are using your debit/credit card for the first time, make sure it is activated with whichever is your provider (Master or Visa). Netbanking is also a good option as are cash cards.
However the latter make the customer incur an extra charge. So check on that. Make sure you keep the details (card number, password, CVV number) ready when you are shopping online. You can also generate a one-time password at the payment gateway to make your transaction very safe.