Shillong, June 27: A new report released on Tuesday reveals that Indians residing in Tier II cities and beyond spend an average of 2 hours and 25 minutes per week shopping online, which accounts for approximately 16 percent of their income.
CyberMedia Research (CMR) data indicates that Tier II cities like Guwahati, Coimbatore, and Lucknow lead in terms of time spent shopping online. However, among Tier I cities, Bengaluru leads with the highest weekly average of 4 hours and 2 minutes spent on online shopping.
The report highlights that the wide range of choices, convenience, and comfort offered by eCommerce has empowered young consumers in Tier II, Tier III cities, and beyond to shop online and fulfill their aspirations. Prabhu Ram, Head of the Industry Intelligence Group at CMR, expressed this sentiment.
Attractive prices, convenient return and exchange processes, and irresistible offers are the top three triggers identified for online shopping, according to the report. These factors influence 57 percent, 57 percent, and 49 percent of consumers, respectively.
Over 55 percent of consumers from Tier II cities purchased tech products online, with 62 percent prioritizing 5G phones. Additionally, 24 percent opted to buy premium smartphones through online platforms.
The rise of eCommerce not only benefits consumers but also presents significant opportunities for small business owners. Sugandha Srivastava, Senior Manager at CMR’s Industry Consulting Group (ICG), emphasizes the positive impact of the eCommerce boom on India’s trillion-dollar internet economy.
The report reveals that women entrepreneurs and others spend approximately 149 hours annually on eCommerce, with 29 percent of them purchasing value-for-money smartphones (priced between Rs 15,000 and 20,000) online. Gen Z shoppers (51 percent) outpaced Millennials (47 percent) in terms of frequency of online shopping.
Among the items bought online, 62 percent of consumers purchased clothing and accessories, while 54 percent bought electronics and electronic gadgets. In specific cities like Nagpur, 81 percent of consumers purchased electronics and electronic gadgets. Coimbatore and Bhubaneswar displayed similar trends, with 62 percent of consumers engaging in online shopping for these products, as per the report.