<p>Lured by heavy online discounts and easy home delivery of almost any product at the click of a button, shopping for Indians would never be the same again after 2014.<br /><br /></p>.<p>What was limited to books, gadgets and few accessories in the earlier years, now expanded to include apparel, kitchen items, consumer durables, high-end jewellery, furniture, or any other product you can think of buying over the internet, reports PTI.<br /><br />The big breakthrough in e-commerce came in October when the big three of Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal went into an overdrive to win customers and offered pre-Diwali sales with eye-popping discounts.<br /><br />Gadgets like smartphones, tablets, laptops, computer peripherals, consumer electronics, etc were sold way below their market price.<br /><br />Flipkart claimed to have sold goods worth 100 million USD (over Rs 600 crore) within 10 hours of its ‘Big Billion Day’ on October 6 but disrungtled bargain hunters complained of technical glitches and cheating.<br /><br />Snapdeal also pegged its sales figure to a similar amount while Amazon didn't disclose figures.<br /><br />In the past many used to research online about products and then buy it from a shop. Now the trend reversed as people walked into shopping malls to try which colour and size of clothes or shoes suit them best and then went home to get a good deal online.<br /><br />Consumers even in smaller cities joined the bandwagon as standalone shops noticed drop in sales.<br /><br />Shopping malls which had high footfalls couldn't translate it into equivalently higher turnover as they struggled hard to become more than just hangout joints.<br /><br />According to a latest study by Assocham-PwC, about 40 million consumers purchased something online in 2014 and the number is expected to grow to 65 million in 2015.<br /><br />As smartphones become common and internet access easier, buying online became more simpler with mobile apps.<br /><br />Cash on delivery option attracted a whole new set of customers as it meant that those outside the ambit of netbanking or credit cards could also shop online.<br /><br />It also won over those who were pessimistic about the quality of stuff bought over the internet as they could see the product before paying.<br /><br />Google’s annual Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) kept the momentum at the end of 2014 with 80 lakh visitors to the site in three days.<br /><br />Interestingly, high-value products like flats, cars and bikes were also sold online.<br />Exclusive deals and tie-ups like that of Xiaomi phones with Flipkart added more spice to the boom.<br /><br />In some cities, young entrepreneurs even experimented with e-grocery stores. Snapdeal went a step ahead and launched an online agri store offering products like seeds, fertiliser and irrigation tools to farmers.<br /><br />Physical retailers who have alleged that e-tailers indulge in predatory pricing during flash sales online remain the most affected by the mad rush.<br /><br />The fear among mom-and-pop stores of being overshadowed by large retail chains and shopping malls are now a thing of the past as they have found a new common enemy. <br /></p>
<p>Lured by heavy online discounts and easy home delivery of almost any product at the click of a button, shopping for Indians would never be the same again after 2014.<br /><br /></p>.<p>What was limited to books, gadgets and few accessories in the earlier years, now expanded to include apparel, kitchen items, consumer durables, high-end jewellery, furniture, or any other product you can think of buying over the internet, reports PTI.<br /><br />The big breakthrough in e-commerce came in October when the big three of Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal went into an overdrive to win customers and offered pre-Diwali sales with eye-popping discounts.<br /><br />Gadgets like smartphones, tablets, laptops, computer peripherals, consumer electronics, etc were sold way below their market price.<br /><br />Flipkart claimed to have sold goods worth 100 million USD (over Rs 600 crore) within 10 hours of its ‘Big Billion Day’ on October 6 but disrungtled bargain hunters complained of technical glitches and cheating.<br /><br />Snapdeal also pegged its sales figure to a similar amount while Amazon didn't disclose figures.<br /><br />In the past many used to research online about products and then buy it from a shop. Now the trend reversed as people walked into shopping malls to try which colour and size of clothes or shoes suit them best and then went home to get a good deal online.<br /><br />Consumers even in smaller cities joined the bandwagon as standalone shops noticed drop in sales.<br /><br />Shopping malls which had high footfalls couldn't translate it into equivalently higher turnover as they struggled hard to become more than just hangout joints.<br /><br />According to a latest study by Assocham-PwC, about 40 million consumers purchased something online in 2014 and the number is expected to grow to 65 million in 2015.<br /><br />As smartphones become common and internet access easier, buying online became more simpler with mobile apps.<br /><br />Cash on delivery option attracted a whole new set of customers as it meant that those outside the ambit of netbanking or credit cards could also shop online.<br /><br />It also won over those who were pessimistic about the quality of stuff bought over the internet as they could see the product before paying.<br /><br />Google’s annual Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF) kept the momentum at the end of 2014 with 80 lakh visitors to the site in three days.<br /><br />Interestingly, high-value products like flats, cars and bikes were also sold online.<br />Exclusive deals and tie-ups like that of Xiaomi phones with Flipkart added more spice to the boom.<br /><br />In some cities, young entrepreneurs even experimented with e-grocery stores. Snapdeal went a step ahead and launched an online agri store offering products like seeds, fertiliser and irrigation tools to farmers.<br /><br />Physical retailers who have alleged that e-tailers indulge in predatory pricing during flash sales online remain the most affected by the mad rush.<br /><br />The fear among mom-and-pop stores of being overshadowed by large retail chains and shopping malls are now a thing of the past as they have found a new common enemy. <br /></p>
