Reality Check on Online Shopping:

With Relation to Consumer

Protection in the City of Bangalore
Munnu Prasad. V

Dr. K. S. Srinivasa Rao

Lecturer
St. Josephs PU College for Girls, Bangalore

Ex-Director
IHMR, Bangalore

Flow of Presentation:

INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH DESIGN

ANALYSIS & FINDINGS

CONCLUSION

SUGGESTIONS

INTRODUCTION:

E-Commerce has taken a greater penetration in the life style of Indians in

the last two decades.

Online Shopping is the act of purchasing products or services over the

Internet as per web dictionary.

INTRODUCTION>>>

Consumer Awareness

Consumer awareness is the information that every consumer (buyer) should

possess regarding his/her rights in relation to purchase as a customer. This
awareness enables the consumer (buyer) to avail maximum benefits in
relation
to his / her item of purchase.

Consumer Protection

Consumer Protection is a cluster of laws and bodies that have been set up in
order to ensure that the rights of the consumers are upheld as well as ensure
that fair trade practices and accurate information is provided to the
customers.

E-Commerce and Consumer Protection in India:

In the recent years, the exponential growth in E-Commerce due to the entry
of the new companies springing up at a rapid rate, and acceleration of faster
than the use of internet are the new risks, which are associated with the
transactions with the mediums commercial applications.

RESEARCH DESIGN:

Statement of the Problem: Reality check on online shopping with relation to

consumer protection in the city of Bangalore. This statement is going to check
whether the online shopping is boon or bane for consumers/customers and
also looking for consumer protection.

Objectives of the Study:

To study the Behaviour and Attitude of Online Shoppers
To study the protection of Online Consumers/Consumers
To analyse on the Pre & Post Online Shopping responses

Type of Research: Exploratory Research

Sampling Design: Non-probability Sampling - Judgemental sampling

Sample Size: 100 members in personal interview

Primary Data: Personal Interview

Sources of Data: Personal Meet with the Online Shoppers

ANALYSIS & FINDINGS

In 100 respondents of the sample who are of
college students, corporate employees, house wives
and also professional were considered.
All
respondents were able to reply in the personal
interview on the study of the online shopping and
consumer protection check reality.
Profession and Non-profession

Sl. No.

Gender

Employed

Housewives

Students

10
1

Male

23

11
20

Female

24

10

ANALYSIS & FINDINGS

Awareness about Online Shopping Websites

Majority people said they know many e-commerce websites for online
shopping and how to use it also. The respondents agreed that a basic
knowledge of computers is required for the usage.

Benefits in Online Shopping

The respondents said that there is a benefit like saving time, energy,
transportation expenses and additional expenses also.

Disadvantages in the Online Shopping

The respondents during the personal interview, majority said that there is a
major disadvantage, of security of their Personal data like contact no,
address, etc., Debit Card/Credit Card info like CVV number and passwords,
online transaction data, and many more. They said that the personal data can
resale to the outside people like marketing, fraud companies and also there is
no proper security for the hackers.

ANALYSIS & FINDINGS

Mode of Payment during a Product Purchase through Online Shopping

Many respondents said a different way like few say online payment, COD
(Cash on Delivery) facility is best because after making payment many times
we cant change product if it is not worth and if the quality of product is low.
Very less people use Credit/Debit card payment facility.

Pre & Post Difficulties Faced during Online

Shopping

online website images are very much zoomed, when the same product received the size will
1/4th of the image.

Some respondents say that they show the product in very attractive, but when the product is
received it will be totally opposite.

Example 1: Ms. X saw a big size (i.e., length and breadth) of towel, where it was good and nice in
the website, but whereas when it reached to her place, it was just a face towel in the cover.
Example 2: Mr. Y ordered a water vapour for beautician requirement, where the product in image
was shown big in size, but after receiving it was small in size.

ANALYSIS & FINDINGS

Awareness about Consumer Protection for Online Buyers Legally

Majority of respondent said that the post purchase issues are high in online
shopping, because few of the brands sold will be new to the customers, if
there is a trouble in that kind of product, then it will be big problems for
service.

They also said that in many of bills that the jurisdiction is belonging to
Mumbai/Delhi/Kolkata and different states of those sellers, so they feel
difficult, because of time consideration and expenses included.
Connectivity of Online Shopping with Consumer Protection at Present
Connectivity of Online Shopping with
Consumer Protection Presently

Yes

42

No

58

CONCLUSIONS:

The study indicated that the Online Shoppers attitude and behaviour is
positive, where the protection of the consumers/customers of online
shopping is not that like physical purchase. Where the CAG has done research
in 2006 and found the issue in Indian e-commerce/e-business, but till now,
there is no proper protection in policies, rules and regulation through the IT
Act and through COPRA for online shoppers. The pre shopping is good than the
post shopping through online, where the study indicated that huge
disadvantage in the post shopping through online.

Suggestions:

COPRA and IT Act have to include the online shopping as a valid and
protect the consumers/customers.

The Indian e-commerce/e-business has to develop more in quality of

service.

The Online payment should be safeguard with secured protocol.

There should be proper post service for the online shoppers.

The images in the website should project naturally than zooming in order
to avoid the hype about the products.

Q&A