50% buy online

The latest usage-cum-brand tracking study conducted by JuxtConsult on 'online shopping' notes that 50 per cent of all online Indians have bought a travel product online.

Air tickets with an average transaction size per person per month at Rs 4,860 are the most searched and bought item online, followed by train tickets with the average transaction size per person per month valued at Rs 1,890.

Thereafter follow books, magazines with average transaction size per person per month valued at Rs 650 and CDs / DVDs at Rs 465.

Mobile phones / PDAs and cameras are highly searched for but have the worst search-to-buy conversion ratios online with an average transaction size per person per month valued at Rs 3,500.

Incidentally, the online buyers' base is growing at a much higher rate than that of internet users.

"The online buyer base is growing at a higher rate of 33 per cent as compared to the internet user base," said Sanjay Tiwari, director, Juxt Consult.

Also, contrary to popular perception credit card misuse is not the biggest issue among those who already buy online. Delayed delivery and product quality are much bigger issues.

As for website preferences, Ebay significantly dominates the top of mind brand recall among both searchers and buyers with 47 per cent of all online shoppers.

The study noted that 2 out of 3 online buyers have a credit card and 2 out of 3 searchers do not have a credit card. However, only about 50 per cent of searchers say that do not buy online because they do not have a credit card.