Consumers in India are increasingly using their mobile devices to check product pricing when shopping in physical locations, which suggests that omnichannel retail behavior is becoming more prevalent.
“For five in 10 Indian consumers, e-commerce websites and search engines are the top sources of pre-purchase information, while three in 10 check in with their family, friends, and colleagues before deciding on a purchase. For nearly four out of 10 Indian consumers, traditional TV and sponsored social media advertisements influence a purchase decision,” according to India-specific June findings of PWC’s Global Consumer Insights Pulse Survey.
Customers frequently use search engines and shop websites to get pre-purchase information worldwide, with 54% of customers using search engines and 55% using store websites. However, a sizable e-commerce platform or marketplace is the go-to source for product information in India, where an estimated 60% of buyers use them for research, compared to 35% internationally.
Only 21% of Indians visit retailer websites before making a purchasing choice, and another 28% use them to read product reviews, placing retailer websites low on the list. According to the poll results, at least 30% of purchasers in India and the same amount internationally consult friends, family, and coworkers before making a purchase.
“While global consumers said direct promotional advertisements were the most influential in making a purchase decision, Indian consumers still lean towards traditional TV ads. About 40% said TV ads influenced their purchase decision compared with 35% globally,” the survey revealed. A large number of Indian shoppers (31%) continue to be influenced by ads featuring famous celebrities or influencers.
Additionally, 31% of consumers worldwide and 29% of those polled in India use social media to study a product before making a purchase.
The percentage of people who nearly always or regularly use their smartphone to look for a product’s availability, special deals, and comparative prices online in India is around 66%, which is much higher than the global average of 56%.
The poll found that, despite internet shopping’s growing popularity and convenience, in-store purchasing still has an edge. In reality, 41% of customers worldwide and 49% of consumers in India preferred to buy goods like clothing, books, and gadgets from physical stores in the previous year.
Despite how handy online shopping may be, consumers are unwilling to give up the experience of buying in a physical store. People prefer to purchase in physical stores, both internationally and in India.
Interestingly, Indian consumers claimed that conventional television advertising still influences them.
The poll measured customer intentions towards recently launched direct-to-consumer companies. In India, 38% of customers have purchased items straight from a brand’s website, with apparel and accessories (37%) and food and beverage (38%) items being the most popular choices. According to the report, millennials are the ones that experiment the most with direct-to-consumer companies.
A biennial survey called the Global Consumer Insights Survey aims to keep a closer eye on shifting consumer patterns. India provided 501 of the total respondents for the June 2023 Pulse survey.
