This year, India’s Diwali shoppers are willing to spend, however, the trend indicates that more and more people are getting inclined to shop from the comfort of their homes.
The number of online shoppers will nearly double to around 50 million during the festive season this year, as consumers reinforce the dramatic shift towards contactless shopping.
Until public sentiment over shopping in-store is restored, retailers have no choice but to elevate contactless shopping experiences for those unwilling or unable to leave their homes – else they risk losing out on a golden opportunity to tap into festive and holiday demand.
According to Deepak Ralli, Executive Vice President of Operations at Teleperformance India, only agile retailers willing to take risks, by pivoting their product and customer service mix, will capitalise on this newfound retail explosion.
Deepak comments: “In the last decade or so, Indian consumers were spoilt for choice when it came to shopping in big malls. the lockdown coupled with the fear of leaving their homes has meant consumers were pushed to online platforms to satiate their ever-increasing hunger for shopping. Yet, throughout the pandemic, customers – however digitally-savvy – still expect to receive care and attention should issues or concerns arise. As the customer service channel mix evolves at pace, brands have no choice but to reinforce their online presence and hasten their response rates to handle an inevitable rise in customer queries and provide a consistent customer experience.”
Deepak concludes: “The current situation has been a blessing in disguise for India to push for a digital payment revolution. Today’s conscious consumers are encouraged to use secure contactless digital payment platforms – set to grow three-fold by 2025 – and expect a buying experience that combines functionality, speed, flexibility and usability. In keeping the customers’ needs at the centre of every transaction, and implementing innovative payment solutions, retailers can move the customer seamlessly through their end-to-end retail experience whilst keeping pace with the competition.”
