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55 per cent Indians online have shopped on the Net: Nielsen

The Nielsen Global Online Survey shows that 78 per cent of Indians online make a purchase decision with the help of the Internet

The Nielsen Global Online Survey, conducted by the research company, Nielsen, shows that 78 per cent of the respondents in India used the Internet to make a purchase decision and 55 per cent of them had made an online purchase.

55 per cent Indians online have shopped on the Net: Nielsen
The survey reveals that the Internet is becoming a key source to buy travel tickets in India, with about 73 per cent making online ticket reservations. Indians form the highest percentage of people in the Asia-Pacific region to buy online tickets.

NS Muthukumaran, director, online research, The Nielsen Company, India, said in a statement, “The accessibility to a wide range of comparable information online makes travelling a category that is extremely suited to the Internet and a lucrative investment option for marketers.”

Books are the most sought after online purchasing item, with 46 per cent respondents buying books. This is followed by electronic equipment, at 29 per cent, and tours and hotel reservations, at 24 per cent.

Credit cards are the preferred mode of online payment, with 84 per cent choosing to pay with a credit card; 63 per cent of these use Visa credit cards. Other popular online payment methods are debit cards (29 per cent), bank transfers (24 per cent) and cash on delivery (13 per cent).

Around 54 per cent of the respondents said they rely on the same shopping site on which they have been making their online purchases. The factors influencing their buying habits include special offers on the websites, general surfing, personal recommendations, online advertising and search engines. While 48 per cent of the online buyers are wooed by special offers, 26 per cent get influenced by online advertising and 22 per cent rely on online reviews.

The survey reveals that 20 per cent of the people surveyed use the Internet every day. Around 85 per cent Indians use the Internet for e-mail, second after Hong Kong.

“Indians love networking with people. It is well known that Indians are one of the heaviest users of mobile phones. They exhibit a similar propensity online as well, in areas which will help them stay connected with family and friends,” said Muthukumaran.

The Nielsen Global Online Survey, a half-yearly survey, is conducted to study Internet spending habits. This time, 26,312 respondents were studied in 48 markets in Europe, the Asia Pacific, North America and West Asia.

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