Online product sales expected to touch Rs5,500 crore this fiscal: Assocham

Mumbai: The total value of products and services being sold online in the country is expected to grow by 150 per cent and touch Rs5,500 crore this fiscal, according to industry body Assocham.

"Total e-shopping volumes are expected to grow by 150 per cent to touch Rs5,500 crore in 2007-08 from Rs2,200 crore last fiscal....Share of Delhi e-shoppers will go beyond 30 per cent and Mumbai's share would be 40 per cent," Assocham said in a statement.

E-shopper population in Delhi and Mumbai was 20 per cent and 24 per cent respectively in 2006-07, while electronic gadgets, apparel and design, rail, air and movie tickets were among the most shopped items on the net.

A large number of net savvy people, including merchants, changing lifestyles and shopping habits will push e-commerce transactions by at least 150 per cent in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Banaglore, Chennai and Kolkata, the statement said.

"Products that will gain popularity in e-sale could include gems and jewellery, online books sale, accessories, apparel, gift products, music and movies, hotel room besides tickets for transportation," Assocham president Venugopal N Dhoot said.

In Chennai, seven per cent of population chose to buy daily routine products through e-commerce in 2006-07, which will go to 11-12 per cent in the current fiscal. Likewise, Kolkata's share of seven per cent might go up another 10-11 per cent, the chamber said.