'Most online shoppers prefer marketplaces over brand websites'

More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of online shoppers in the country tend to prefer ecommerce marketplaces over brands' own websites, a report said Thursday.

Consumers still rank free shipping as more important than fast shipping, the global e-commerce study by Pitney Bowes, a technology company that provides commerce solutions in the areas of ecommerce, shipping, mailing, and data, said.

Globally, 76 per cent of consumers prefer free over fast, while in India, 56 per cent of consumers prefer free shipping over faster delivery, the report said.

At the same time, consumers are becoming more demanding in their expectations for 'fast and free', the report said, adding only 47 per cent consider two-day free shipping fast.

The study showed that consumers start to make judgements on the post-purchase experience even before placing their orders.

Over 94 per cent of consumers globally are shopping online at present, and the frequency of it is accelerating, according to the report.

Globally, 35 per cent of online shoppers make an online purchase at least weekly, it added.

The report highlighted that the uptick in shopping frequency, while a welcome news for retailers, is also contributing to the rise in consumer dissatisfaction.

Individual consumers are spending more time shopping online and waiting on products, creating a greater probability for a bad experience, the report said.

As volumes rise, retailers are struggling to keep up with the demand in terms of physical infrastructure and the technology to manage it effectively, it added.

The 2018 Pitney Bowes Global Ecommerce Study is based on surveys of more than 13,000 consumers in 12 markets, combined with surveys of 650 retailers in the US, the UK, India and Australia.