Understanding Shifts in Consumer Perceptions of Online Purchases in Indian Metropolitan Markets

Abstract

This study examines the evolution of consumer perceptions toward online shopping in India, disentangling long-term behavioural trends from temporary pandemic-induced fluctuations. Surged transactions during the pandemic were not the mere reason for a substantive behavioural shift in online shopping, it was a hygienic acceleration to an already ongoing trajectory.

A qualitative research design was adopted. Data were collected through 28 in-depth interviews and 5 focus group discussions (FGDs) across four metropolitan cities—Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, and Bangalore. Participants were active online shoppers with at least two years of shopping experience. Manual thematic analysis, triangulated with peer debriefing involving two independent researchers, identified patterns in perception evolution, adoption continuity, and attitudinal change.

The findings indicate that India’s online shopping growth has been progressive since the mid-1990s, supported by key milestones such as IRCTC’s online ticketing (2002), the entry of global and domestic e-commerce firms, rising digital payments and strengthened logistics infrastructure. Pandemic created a temporary spike in online transactions due to mobility constraints, but not a structural shift in consumer behaviour. Instead, established habits of existing online buyers continued, reflecting a linear growth pattern.

This study contributes nuanced insights into India's sustained e-commerce evolution, particularly online shopping. Moving beyond adoption-focused or category-specific analyses, the study highlights how long-term infrastructural, technological, and experiential developments cumulatively shape metropolitan online consumer behaviour. To address a critical gap in literature from a longitudinal perspective, it examines perception shifts specific to Indian metropolitan city contexts.

The study provides actionable insights on how interface design, platform reliability, hassle free returns develop consumer trust. Safe and multi-option payment systems strengthen long-term digital engagement, further segmenting the consumers basis loyalty among high-frequency metropolitan shoppers. The results derived from this study will help the marketing managers of the companies to design SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) strategies to develop trust among the online consumers.

Keywords: Online Shopping Behaviour, E-Commerce, Consumer Perception, Digital Retailing, Thematic Analysis, Online Purchase Intention, Trust

DOI: 10.7176/JMCR/95-08

Publication date:December 31^st 2025