Online Shopping on Smartphones is The New Trend

Wherever you look, you see people peeping into their mobile phones. They are either reading a book or an article on the internet, watching a movie or a video, using all the social media applications, or browsing through the e-commerce websites.

The country has 371 million mobile internet users; the first six months of this year alone added 65 million, says the Internet & Mobile Association of India. 75% of the shopping on Flipkart & Amazon, two of the three largest online markets, happens on the mobile phone. Why do you think it is so? People prefer buying their commodities from the online websites, as they are more feasible and always provide their buyers with some attractive offers. Also, the websites offer much more variety than you can find at a market or a mall.

According to Morgan Stanley, e-commerce in India was 0.2% of India’s GDP in 2010. It has grown to about 1.2% of the GDP of the country, up six times, and is likely to rise up to 4% by 2020, that is, 20 times. It also says that India will become a largely mobile-only country by 2020, with 90% of internet users here.

No matter how interesting online shopping seems, it comes with its own drawbacks. The most-encountered problem is that of credit/debit card hoaxes. You can actually call it virtual pick-pocketing. Users who choose to pay online are often seen complaining about no delivery of product or money withdrawal from their accounts. Online shopping looks cheaper as compared to going to a mall and buying the product, but it is not so. Some sites offer free shipping, but they are all image-heavy, which means more usage of your internet. Also, if you are an impatient person, it is advisable for you to avoid online shopping, the delivery usually takes more time than it says.

So, next time before making a purchase online, think about it carefully, and take a wise decision.