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What Should Indian Consumers Look at While Buying Goods on International E-commerce Sites Things that every Indian consumer should know before Shopping online from an international site

By Sandeep Padoshi

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With the boom in the e-commerce market, the Indian consumers are sure spoilt for choice. The reason to shop is never enough when home delivery of anything under the sun is now just a click away. The surge in e-commerce market has certainly been bright for logistics companies in the country which are working round the clock to make the shoppers' experience quick, smooth and enjoyable.

Though the domestic market has grown steadfastly at 20 lakh shipment deliveries a day, the international shipment deliveries have seen a visible rise of 2 lakh shipment deliveries a day. This is likely to grow with 20-30 lakh shipments a day in the coming years, as estimated.

Bigger e-commerce players with presence across the globe have enhanced the e-commerce market with their consumer goods like mobiles, mobile covers, gadget accessories, stationery, watches, shoes, handbags and other lifestyle goods from countries like China and Korea that are affordable for the global shopper but this dream of theirs' shopping from global shopping websites has only been realized with the swiftness of courier deliveries companies in India that have been able to instil confidence in the customer to shop online anywhere from across the globe.

The consumers should check the following five things before ordering on international E-Commerce sites:

#1: Whether the same goods are available on Indian E-commerce sites at better prices. Indian shoppers don't seem to mind paying, given the quality and choice. According to DHL report, the 21st-century spice trade is a guide to the cross-border e-commerce opportunity, which quotes the Google Consumer Barometer, what drives consumers in less mature e-commerce markets like India to shop cross-border is better quality, broader range and trustworthiness.

#2: Whether the international E-commerce player has a tie-up with the authentic delivery player in India for managing their shipments and collecting cash. It is simple to shop from a global e-commerce site as it is from familiar online retail firms like Flipkart or Amazon India—there are charges to take care of and payment and shipping options to consider. We hand-hold you through the hiccups and give appropriate delivery solutions.

#3: Whether one can return the goods, hassle-free. If not, then you are in the wrong place. Quick refunds mostly in the origin of the payment are what customers today look at, gone are those days when the customer felt the need of following up with the customer care executives every now and then.

#4: Be sure about your expectation while Indian consumers are willing and happy to pay extra if they can find quality products online. But be sure of the quality of product that you will receive at the end of the day. The authenticity of the product is valued more than the price by the Indian Customer.

#5: Keep in mind the shipping charges and customs duty often make the products 40-50% more expensive than its usual listed price. We need to be sure of what and from where are we buying and research well about the product.

The delivery services need to fast evolve in the current scenario to serve the needs of the global shopper by devising innovative means and measures to get ahead and lead as a player in the field. The new demands have risen due to the mobility of people from one place to another quickly than ever before across the world, as their mobility has increased so will have the delivery services to better manage their resources and pace up with times and management to serve the global citizen. More and more courier services are now offering quick services like delivery within 24 hours, Packaging as per the customers' demands, shipping largely to small deliveries across cities and even to various destinations across the world. There are still few segments in India alone which require urgent courier services to help them provide better services to the customer and at the same time build their confidence.

Sandeep Padoshi

Co-founder & Director, WOW Express

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