EDUCATING CUSTOMERS: Gautam Thakar, Country Manager eBay India (left), launching `eBay e-commerce Guide' at a press conference in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Bangalore: On eBay, one of India's leading online marketplaces, a mobile handset sells every seven minutes, a fashion garment every 13 minutes and an MP3 player, every 17 minutes. This is not to leave out jewellery items which online shoppers order almost every six minutes, EBay India Country Manager Gautam Thakar told presspersons here on Thursday

They were looking at a revenue of Rs. 2,300 crore in 2006-07 going by the rapid growth of e-commerce in the country. "Worldwide, e-commerce is growing at the rate of 28 per cent. India being a younger market can be expected to grow at a rate of 51 per cent in the next three years," he said at the launch of the eBay eCommerce Guide.

On the guide

The guide aims at spreading awareness and educating Internet users on various elements of online commerce. It will also contain detailed profiles of sellers, buyers and industry statistics. "e-commerce shoppers in India usually prefer a fixed price for most lifestyle and entertainment category purchases. Most auctions are seen in the jewellery and technology category products," Mr. Thakar said.

Shoppers' preference

While online shoppers prefer a discounted price for television or music system, they may bid for a laptop or computer accessories.

The lifestyle category is emerging a key area for online shopping, right from jewellery and fashion garments to even rare stamps and coins.

New entrants

The new in-season products more in demand even in smaller towns include beanbag furniture, the latest in mobile phones and high-end digital cameras.

New entrants on the e-commerce scene include ethnic furniture and gemstones from Surat and Jodhpur.

In a specific reference to Bangalore, Mr. Thakar said: "The Bangaloreans' love for electronic items and gadgets can be seen through an increasing demand for MP3 players, video games, computer peripherals and accessories besides mobile phones. The young urban male of Bangalore enjoys buying a range of video games on eBay."

A survey earlier this year ranked Bangalore third in the country and the largest in the region in regard to online shopping.

This trend appears to be growing.

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