India's e-commerce growth to pick up with 3G: eBay

NEW DELHI: Buying and selling of products over electronic systems such as the Internet are poised to grow manifold once 3G and mobile broadband services begin in India, a top official of leading e-commerce site eBay said.

"E-commerce is taking off slowly here but I think the Indian market can experience significant growth over the next few years as 3G services are launched and mobile broadband gets more ubiquitous," eBay's President and CEO John Donahoe said.

Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks.

"I think what you are going to see here in India is with more people having access to the Internet through their mobile devices, you are going to see changes in consumer behaviour in terms of willingness and an ability to buy online," he added.

In India, at present, the e-commerce business is growing at 30 per cent and eBay itself is growing at 60 per cent. Ebay has about 2.5 million users in India.

Moreover, he added that e-Commerce sites like eBay are not only a platform to buy and sell products but also help the economy by creating direct and indirect jobs.

About 12,800 sellers use eBay India as a primary or secondary cource of income.

"We not only help people buy and sell products, we help them to earn a livelihood," he added.

Goods worth Rs 150 crore will be sold by Indian sellers exported outside the country this year, he said.