Thursday, 23 August 2012

E-Commerce Solutions – Defining A Market Place for Indian Shoppers!!


Indian Consumers are prone to window shopping. They like to make big bargain with vendors even though they find product of their choice and leaves no void to make it a best deal. The shopping freaks mob towards multiple Market Places on weekends to find products of choice and they never mind spending hours of time on it. But how could be these shop alcoholics could be motivated towards online shopping. It’s not that much easy!!

We may think of 2 ways to bring such shopping freaks to the Market Space. The first is giving them the same realistic shopping experience “online” which they seek and enjoy from orthodox Shopping Habits. It’s a bit difficult but ecommerce solutions are making continuous efforts to provide the same. There are many services comprising replacement services, warranties, doorstep services, COD, discounts etc. that are offered by ecommerce players to lure the consumers to buy online. Even to overcome problems related to size in case of Apparels shopping, companies offer trial service and replacement on size. Few ambitious players have introduced 3 D Virtual clothing with which user can visualize what they can do with their own clothing line, change their measurements easily and in real time and get a virtual you with their exact size and features. If you will observe, it’s no different to shopping style of ancient Rich Indian Zamindar’s who have lobby of vendors who were ready to bring stuff to the premises for trial. Lets not confuse, but yes ecommerce solutions are offering the same style but with better communication medium and few constraints. The second way may be bringing the change. The change may be in shopping pattern, Choices, Habits with additional benefits in terms of prices, product line, variety and uniqueness.

Somewhere users, if not for purchasing, but do follow ecommerce websites in their first step of purchasing process that is researching. In one of the study done by eBay, it’s been observed nearly 57% of smart shoppers check prices online before they shop in a mall or a store. At least, this finding is good enough to show how user-friendly ecommerce websites design bringing paradigm shifts in Orthodox Shopping Habits. But, believe me, there will be time where every Retailer will have exclusive ecommerce applications to offer product lines online with set of fixed consumers in his specific territory to offer automated shopping experience and deliver products at doorstep.

Is it possible to have such market space as mentioned above where we have niche ecommerce portals to offer each and every product what we may think of to go to market and purchase?  I know I am too much imaginative but I certainly believe it may happen. Why Not? We have lot many ecommerce websites existing which offers us Grocery for our daily use (foodmandi.com), Home Décor and Furnishing items (fabfurnish.com) , Flower Gifts & Plants delivery anywhere in India ( livinggifts.co.in ), Electronic Items (Naaptol.com, ebay.com etc., Flipkart.com), Apparels( freeculture.com, fashionandyou.com). I am expecting such trend to be followed at least in metropolitan cities where we have Internet user almost in every home and users are aware about ecommerce portals.

It’s just an imagination, but in present scenario, Small and Big Organizations are looking for ecommerce website design and ecommerce website development for their Businesses to offer out of store experience to Consumers. There are Service Providers offering affordable ecommerce website development services, mobile application development services to Businesses giving an impetus to ecommerce Industry. Once every Business, Retailer has an ecommerce application to offer Products and Service, It will no longer be an imagination.

I welcome your comments and suggestions on Ecommerce Markets, Trends and Innovation in India.

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