India’s e-commerce market to cross $16 billion

The advanced technology and the user- friendly shopping sites and portals seemed to have pushed the envelope for the digital e-commerce markets. According to a report, the digital e commerce market in India is expected to cross the 1 lakh crore (around $16 billion) milestone by the end of 2015.

The digital commerce market in the country had grown 53% to Rs 81,525 crore in 2014 and is set to rise further at 33% and cross Rs one lakh crore by the end of 2015, added the joint report by IAMAI and IMRB International.

The digital commerce market has grown steadily from Rs 26,263 crore in 2010 to Rs 47,349 crore in 2012 to Rs 53,301 crore in 2013.

Online travel accounted for Rs 50,050 crore or over 61 per cent of the total market, while the e-tailing segment grew by 29.4%.

“Significantly, e-tailing has grown by around 1.4 times over 2013 and constitute nearly 29% of the overall share,” the report said.

Mobiles and mobile phone accessories contributed the highest (41 percent or Rs. 9,936 crores) in the sales of e-tailing segment, followed by apparels, footwear and personal items (20 percent or Rs. 4,699 crores) in 2014.

Consumer durables, along with kitchen appliances added another 14 percent or Rs. 3,404 crores, the report said.

Digital consumer devices like laptops and tablets, home furnishings and books contributed another Rs. 2,780 crores, Rs. 1,059 crores and Rs. 648 crores, respectively.

The report said 45 percent respondents, who shopped online, preferred cash on delivery as a mode of payment.

Another 21 percent said they preferred payment through debit card, 16 percent credit card, 10 percent Internet Banking, and eight percent preferred other modes like prepaid cash cards, mobile wallets.

The report said segments like financial services, matrimony and classifieds grew at 5.5 percent and one percent in 2014, respectively.

“The financial services market has grown at a CAGR of 20 percent since 2010. This market was valued at Rs. 4,508 crores. On the other hand, the classifieds market has seen significant growth and is valued at Rs. 896 crores by December 2014,” the report said.

Other online services market has grown with a CAGR of 73 percent since 2010 and was valued at Rs. 2,025 crores by 2014.

This segment includes emerging service categories like online entertainment ticketing, online commuting, online food and grocery delivery.

Online food delivery market has seen the maximum growth (40 percent) over the last year in this segment and it is now valued at Rs. 350 crores by the end of 2014, said the report.

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