54% of Indian consumers think online ads reduce festive buying stress: Report

As India gears up for its biggest shopping season, marketers will look to make the most of digital advertising to reach the right consumer and convert them into users. The festive season presents an unparalleled opportunity to reach consumers online.

As per the latest Integral Ad Science report, the digital-first world means 80% of Indian consumers will mostly use their mobile devices to shop online.

The majority of consumers will start before November, with over half of them attributing earlier shopping plans to the effects of inflation— 60% of Indian consumers say they plan to start their festive buying earlier to avoid higher prices. The report states that 93% of consumers are concerned about inflation impacting their festive buying plans.

About 49% of Indian consumers plan to pay more attention to sales and discounts for their festive buying plans this year. As health guidelines continue to change, some consumers will choose to participate in more in-person shopping this year. However, the majority of consumers will still do most or all of their shopping online—and only 2% of consumers plan to shop exclusively in stores.

85% of Indians plan to do the majority or all of their festive buying online this year. When it comes to searching for the perfect gift, consumers rely on e-commerce and retail sites and video content. Over half of the consumers say online advertisements help them research ideas for festive gifts.

More than 81% of consumers plan to purchase their gifts on e-commerce sites, followed by social platforms at 51%. As consumers browse for gifts, advertisers are presented with an opportunity to reach shoppers throughout the purchasing process.

Not only are consumers shifting toward digital channels for festive buying, they’re also going mobile. This year, 80% of IN consumers will conduct most of their shopping on mobile devices, demonstrating the increased availability of retail through apps and social platforms.

With the majority of consumers planning to shop online, advertisers need to ensure their messages are reaching the right consumers and making an impact. In a recent study, IAS found that ads related to the content on a given page had more lasting, positive effects on consumers.

54% of the consumers think online ads reduce festive buying stress and 51% of the consumers agree that online ads help save time researching for gifts and 50% of consumers are more open to online ads during the festive buying season.

95% of the consumers are more likely to remember a contextually relevant ad and 91% of the consumers have a more favourable opinion of brands with contextually relevant ads.