They are on a shopping spree, furiously tapping their mobiles
as the deals come pouring in. They belong to the new breed of
m-shoppers, swept away in the wake of the e-shopping boom.
For Goans, in a scenario where the choices and deals are seriously
lacking, it’s the ultimate shopping paradise.
“Goa has a dearth of shopping choices and just searching
for products is a waste of time and effort. Every shop seems to
stock the same choices. Online they are unlimited and unique
and there are so many deals going on at the same time. Their
exchange policies and cash on delivery options make it an
even more enjoyable experience. It’s like having a shopping
mall in your hand,” avers Nuvem-based executive consultant,
Pearline Coutinho.
To sweeten the deal further and keep customers loyal, many
online sites like Myntra, Flipkart and Amazon, to name a few, are
now offering shopping apps paired with hefty discounts, some
extending to even 50%.
Defining this trend, Manish Maheshwari, VP & Head –
Seller ecosystem, Flipkart, explains, “Today, well over 75% of
traffic to Flipkart comes via our mobile app, and a majority
of these shoppers – most of who are first-time customers
– are from tier II and III cities. Additionally, if you look at
demographics, people across age groups prefer this mode of
shopping. The convenience of shopping on mobile has been a
key contributor towards the shift in shopping habits, primarily
in non-metros. Also, shoppers are opening up to shop for
big ticket products online. Large appliances like TV, fridges
are seeing an increasing demand. Overall, m-commerce is
redefining the shopping scenario in India.” By their estimate,
Goa is well into this loop as well.
Observing an unprecedented growth across all departments
since they stepped into the Indian market over 23 months
ago is another online giant, Amazon India. “We were the first
ecommerce company in India to launch a mobile shopping
app. We also launched the Amazon Shopping App for Android in
October 2013. Nearly 50% traffic comes through mobile phones
and there is a sharp increase in customers as well as quantum of
shopping on our apps. Additionally, the repeat rate of customers
is very healthy indicating a good shopping experience,” avers
Akshay Sahi, Head Customer Experience, Amazon India.
As e-shopping gains momentum in Goa, just about every
item is being purchased online. “Earlier it was restricted to
clothes and mobiles, but today the market has spanned to
every possible item, including those not seen before.
And if you want to keep up with the times, the internet is
the place to shop,” maintains MNC manager, Rohan Kamat,
an avid Flipkart shopper.
Being able to zero in on the exact product at a bargain is
another plus. “I prefer shopping online anytime because these
sites offer amazing deals throughout the season whereas shops
offer deals only on certain days. Since I am a sports player, I buy
a lot of my equipment from online shopping sites that offer
amazing deals,” avers Vasco collegian Rakesh Yadav.
