MUSCAT -- A good number of consumers in Oman are gradually turning to online marketplace.
Experts say growth of online shopping has been characterised by strong consumer demands and the increasing number and type of goods available.
"Online shopping in Oman is gradually following an upward trajectory and one of the key drivers of this trend is the introduction of secure and innovative electronic payment solutions that have opened the online shopping avenue for consumers in Oman," says Aaron Oliver, head of emerging payments, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard.
Several factors are attributed to the rising trend in online shopping.
"The ease of purchasing items from the comfort of one's own home is a driving factor. Perhaps more importantly is the ability to find the best prices and do easy research in only a matter of minutes", says Jessica Asher, Co-founder and Business Development Director of Alatool Muscat.
It's everything what one desires from shopping to service deals, mostly service or experience related deals do well, she adds.
According to the 2014 Online Shopping Behaviour Study conducted by MasterCard, nearly 20 per cent of those surveyed indicated they access the Internet for online shopping, of which 80 per cent said they were highly satisfied with their online shopping experience.
"The e-commerce industry can play a vital role in the growth of Oman's economy and we are seeing more companies exploring the online shopping platform to grow their business", says Oliver.
Financial institutions in Oman are also focusing on supporting the growth of the e-commerce industry by developing customised payment solutions that will eventually raise awareness amongst consumers about the convenience, speed and safety of their transactions while shopping online.
About the key driver for the upward trend in online shopping in Oman, Jessica says, "good service will result in consistent buying. Genuine products and their prices also matter".
Omani consumers were clear about what factors sway their online purchasing decision, citing the price, exchange policy and online reviews as the most important considerations when making an online purchase.
When asked how online shopping could be improved in the future, 31 per cent of shoppers stated this could be done by websites creating more user-friendly platforms. More positive feedback from other online shoppers and elimination of additional service charges also emerged as popular suggestions.
The Online Shopping Behaviour Survey, which measures consumers' propensity to shop online, was conducted at the end of last year and was based on interviews with 3,000 respondents from six markets across the Middle East.
Consumers said they spend the most amount of money on clothing, airlines, travel, beauty care, and medicine, followed by coupons and deals, hotels and groceries.
According to the study, nearly one fifth of the respondents made at least one online purchase last year, a slight increase than 2012. About 15 per cent of the respondents identified Oman Air as the most commonly visited website for online shopping. Google and Amazon have emerged as the next three most popular websites for online shopping in Oman.
That said, whereas sites offering travel, groceries, music have seen a significant increase in visitors since 2011, home appliances websites, online gaming, and computer software sites have witnessed a downward trajectory compared to previous years.
While smartphone penetration rate in Oman is one of the highest in the Middle East region, only seven per cent of individuals surveyed made purchases using their mobile phones in recent months and an additional 4 per cent intended to use their phones to make a purchase in the six months following the study.
In all, 32 per cent of the respondents confirmed that they preferred to shop using their computer tablets. Another 20 per cent stated their preference to shop online via their PCs or laptops.
"With increasing internet penetration levels and introduction of highly engaging mobile shopping apps, m-commerce is certainly an emerging business avenue for companies in Oman. While currently in its nascent stage, mobile shopping in Oman is expected to become popular as consumers become aware of the safety and security features and begin getting more familiar with the numerous benefits of being able to shop on the go," says Oliver.
In fact, the convenience to shop through mobile phone and the availability of an increasing number of mobile apps have been voted as the top two reasons why shoppers in Oman make purchases using their phone.
The top three items purchased through mobile phones are groceries, cinema tickets and music.
About 15 per cent of online shoppers believe in 'ethical spending' and are more likely to buy from merchants who are environmentally responsible, who partner with or donate to charities, and who are socially responsible.
Shoppers are increasingly turning to local websites to make online purchases, but almost 23 per cent of online shoppers purchase products from foreign websites.
© Oman Daily Observer 2014
