Just today, I read an article about how online purchases in India are largely centered around ticket booking and that too is a miniscule 8%. That surprised me because I did think that a lot of shopping is being done online especially since there are so many deals sites in vogue these days like snapdeal.com, tradus etc. I personally love to shop for books online, and my favorite site is flipkart.com. It has some great deals and not only for books but for gadgets too, great shipping and have never faced any issues with them this far. I used to shop on indiatimes shopping and rediff shopping for things like apparels and accessories but had bad experiences when different stuff or stuff that did not match what was sold turned up. Then came the headache of sending it back. Though they did take the stuff back. I even did my magazine subscriptions on indiatimes.com, but some magazine people give so much headache in late/no deliveries that I never bothered to renew my Readers’ Digest and Good Housekeeping subscriptions — a pity because I loved both these magazines.
Of course, irctc.co.in and airline ticketing are used regularly by me. Most people have reservations about the safety of the payment gateways, the quality of the fabric, size etc. when it comes to apparels, especially about getting substandard or export-rejects being sent to them. Obviously, we cannot see, feel or try the garment and therein lies a major problem. One could shop for stuff like perfumes etc. which are less likely to be not upto expectations. Whatever you do, online resources are great for gathering information and comparing brands and prices.
I feel that it does make sense to check things out online, buy from a known and good website, use COD option if you are hesitant, and read the terms and conditions especially the refund and return clauses. If you, like me, spend some time over the internet browsing and have a keen eye for good stuff, e-tailing is a great option!
Oh yes, e-tailing is growing in India. Many friends use this medium of shopping for clothes, accessories, shoes etc. Though, I personally use it only for books and music. And the COD is the best option.
I use for buying books and I trust flipkart for the best service and deals.
I use for ticket booking also. It becomes a hassle free affair.
E-tailing is growing, capturing the market slowly. But, mainly used by the IT crowd.
Its a good option in lot of ways. Only thing, the service needs a bit of improvements.
I have bought few stuffs online. WYSIWYG doesnt work at all times 🙂
Apparel buying online is a big NO. burnt my fingers once when i bought something on e-Bay.
u r right – irctc is a great site for bookings, & the payment gateways are really secure
one prob i face with e-tailing is remembering all my different usernames & passwords on d various sites which diligently i write down but den forget d diary
surprising u had an unpleasant experience with God Housekeeping.
I know there are number of sites to fudge people, all we can do is to keep dealing with trusted sites, instead of giving up e-Shopping…..
Well I prefer E-ticket then the conventional one just ‘coz it’s far more easy to get. Visit indianplaza, you can get books on more reasonable price then the flipkart.
I am huge fan of E-tailing.. started with airline tickets… then moved on to books, clothes, accessories and now baby products too 🙂 I do believe that footwear and lingerie are two things which I will not buy online.. I do like to be sure there!
..yes..many people do buy online or check …my hubby has a knack to do that ,as he gets into comfort zone …and most of his gadgets or books are through online shopping…
I like to move around and buy myself unless I am sure about the stuff..
The last purchase me &mom made were waist coats …of similar kind…which was in cords but the fabric was very very bad…we ended up giving in salvation without using!
my experience wasn’t good!
very recently i heard of a new term ebay addiction. it is like even if we dont need smthing we buy it on ebay when a bargain price gives us a high
Mine is limited to ticket buying .And also bought a watch from Fashion and You – got a good discount and the service was fine.
That’s the way to go these days…
@Shilpa Yes, it is the way of the future for sure. I use it for a lot of things though I tread with caution :).
@Spicy Sweet I think ticket booking especially railway ticket booking online has caught on like fire and even flight bookings too. The rest will grow with time.
@Insignia Yes, if the service improves and especially if they have a proactive customer care, they can build a dedicated customer base.
@Sujatha I tried buying a kurti through indiatimes shopping once and what came home was completely different. I had to return it. But, I once got a pair of tights from shoppersstop online at a great deal 🙂 so you can never say. Yes, Good Housekeeping is so pathetic on delivering on time. Though, I miss reading it due to its fabulous content.
@Irfannuddin I think, the best way forward with an unknown site is to pay COD.
@Rachit Good tip. I swear by flipkart for books and gadgets but I will surely look at indianplaza too.
@Aathira Oh yes, a very practical option indeed. Actually, I did order lingerie through Shoppersstop online and even otherwise because if the sizes are standard with known brands, it really is safe. Sometimes, one does not get certain stuff when you go to the physical store.
@Harman I know, my husband also loves to shop for/ find out about gadgets online. Ah, bad experience with apparel and in US? You can throw it back at their faces, can’t you?
@Jon That is a flip side Jon. One gets carried away by deals and buys unnecessary stuff. Definitely, one needs to watch out for this pitfall. But, this can even happen with normal shopping. I’ve seen so many women get carried away and buy stuff they might never even use.
@Kavita I am a member of Fashion and You but have not bought anything from them so far. So, your experience seems to be good with them. Maybe, I will give them a try :).
@NRIGirl Sure, it is :).
My e-tailing is limited to ticket booking. And I like that bcoz it means no standing in Qs 😉
Rest all, I am a bit skeptical.
I do spend time net surfing but my e-tailing is very selective and restricted
@bbsearchingself hmmm, you must try for other things too especially books.
@BKC As it is with most people.
My husband only shops for various some gift items for the new year etc. I don’t like it very much, for i have to see it in person, feel it, and only then buy. Yes for certain things it is good, for others there are better ways to buy and be satisfied.
Even some of the places that you book turn out to be horrible when you land up there, one can’t even go by the reviews given there. So, one has to be careful.
I do not know much about the websites u all use in india but there are a few sites we use here to send gifts t india and so far i’ve never had a problem with them they are always on time and the deliveries are always right. I love shopping online it’s so convenient.
co-incidence i was jsut reading a news today how the online Phone and other bill option is hardly used by people , I am talking about near chandigarh punjab side .. people still dont trust online ..
I have done a lot of shopping in india online and offcourse the train or plane tickiting is all done via that …
Although Online is not that great my family is a strict no no .. the fun of going ot the shop is much more better 🙂
Bikram’s
@rama For gifts especially sending flowers or perfumes or cakes, these sites are quite good. Even otherwise, there are many professional sites and they sometimes offer you really good bargains too :).
@Emmy I know, it is really convenient.
@Bikram actually phone bills, electricity bills, cellphone recharge etc. are quite commonly used along with netbanking but these do no really come under e-tailing, do they? I am talking about pure shopping online.