Small towns, villages driving online trade: eBay

Small towns are contributing up to 40% of all e-commerce transactions in the country on the back of increasing broadband penetration, taking the overall growth of online shopping to 45% from 30% earlier, e-commerce company eBay India said here.

"Shopping online has become a mainstream activity for the rural people. People are evaluating the option of Ecommerce and as the Internet penetrates deeper, more and more people will try it," eBay India Director (Category Management), Kashyap Vadapalli told reporters today.

Vadapalli said the most-bought items from the villages are dual SIM phones, tool-kits, designer pens and soaps.

The report names Delhi as the largest Ecommerce hub, followed by Mumbai and Bangalore.

Delhi exports belly-dancing gear, natural emeralds, auto mouldings, non-fiction books and ladies' trousers, and imports smart phones, designer wrist watches, headsets and men's shoes, online.

Report notes that there is an increase in women online shoppers and over 45%of all the purchases online are in the lifestyle category.

Mumbai women are fond of handbags, it is the most-shopped item by them. In general, Mumbaikars buy  memory card readers, bluetooth headsets, white gold diamond rings.

Gadgets contribute to 50% of all purchases.

Report also notes that the netbooks, popular last year, have been replaced by tablets now. Sony is the most-preferred online brand, followed by Nokia, Samsung, Apple and Reebok.