Indian shoppers turning hybrid with mix of online-offline purchases: Criteo

A report by Nasdaq-listed Criteo says 45% of Indians surveyed browse products online but buy them at a store, while 44% purchase online after selecting products at a retail store

Indian shoppers are following the hybrid path on their purchases and are increasingly starting their shopping journeys on the open internet, says a report. According to the 2022 India Shopper Story report by Nasdaq-listed Criteo, about 45 per cent of Indians surveyed browse products online but buy them at a store, whereas 44 per cent purchase online after selecting products at a retail store.

A majority (52 per cent) of Indians also confirmed purchasing products online via retail/brand shopping apps. Concurrently, shoppers also continue to visit physical stores to speak with salespeople and discover more unique merchandise. Also, the urgency and the need to try products before buying is the main driver for shoppers to visit physical stores.

“As Indian shoppers are becoming more inclined towards online shopping, their purchase decisions are more influenced by the retailer/brands’ website specially in researching and discovering products,” said the report.

According to Criteo’s findings, improved search capabilities and user experiences are contributing to increased value for customers. One-third of shoppers report significant improvements in product search and discovering what they are looking for on retailer/brand websites. This has also led 9 out of 10 shoppers to confirm that they have recommended a company to someone based on a good experience they had.

Furthermore, Indian shoppers are browsing more on different internet devices throughout the week. A majority of shoppers in India confirm they click on ads while using the internet and buy products they see in online ads, with more than 90 per cent of shoppers claiming that online ads they see are for products they want to buy, and the majority of both female and male shoppers confirm that they buy the products recommended to them in ads. This demonstrates that customers recognise the value of addressability in advertising, said the report.

Additionally, it is important to be seen where Indian shoppers are the most engaged today. According to the eMarketer, India’s video viewing is forecasted to reach 512 million viewers by 2025.