Apps are becoming a new-age trend in the Indian retail market: Criteo

Commerce marketing leader Criteo today said with surging internet penetration, mobile retail and shopping apps are becoming a new-age trend in the Indian retail market.

The survey commissioned by Criteo said about 74 percent of Indian respondents have installed 2-5 retail and shopping apps on their smartphones.

A majority 80 percent of shoppers responded that they feel as comfortable and secure using mobile for online shopping as they do while using desktop/laptops. Also, mobile is no longer being used for purchasing only low-value items. Fashion (88 percent), electronics (78 percent) and health & beauty (54 percent) are leading categories in India encouraging about half of the respondents to purchase products/services 2-5 times a month.

In the last three months, approximately 34 percent of Indian shoppers have clicked on an advertisement appearing in an app and purchased via their smartphone. The increasing use of smartphones is creating a great opportunity for brands to invest in mobile app optimisation and build a targeted marketing strategy to enhance mobile shopper engagement, leading to increased sales.

Siddharth Dabhade, General Manager, Criteo India said, "In this cluttered retail market, brands need scale and personalization to compete on an equal footing with their competitors. To do so, they must tap into an open commerce marketing ecosystem and use technology and data analytics to help shoppers find products of their choice and need."

Criteo's technology allows brands to engage with shoppers, creating relevant experiences on both retail apps and third-party platforms, thereby directly driving sales and profits," he said.

The survey further said that from ordering food and buying groceries, to book a cab, about 94 percent of smartphone users in India have discovered, searched for and purchased an item using a retail and shopping app.