Kolkata has emerged as the leading city for mobile transactions in the country with 75% online shoppers open to mobile transactions followed by Chennai with 64% and Delhi with 57%, according to a joint study carried out by Yahoo and Mindshare on the Indian market.

Surprisingly online shoppers in metros like Mumbai and Bangalore seem more 'cautiously open' with less than 35% of them preferring mobile transactions over other mode of payments.

As far as "drivers and barriers of online transactions" are concerned the study states that 31% of online shoppers cite saving time or effort as their main reason for shopping online.

Attractive discounts and promotions is another key driver as stated by 28% of online shoppers while 21% cite the convenience to shop anywhere, anytime as a big draw.

The barriers that keep them away from shopping online include - non-authentic goods, unreliable delivery and lack of quality control. The survey also shows that mobile "browse" tends to convert to mobile "buy" more than online PC purchases or even physical shopping. Of the total number of consumers browsing for products on mobile, 79% prefer buying on a mobile device compared to 9% on PC/laptop and 12% in a physical store.

According to the survey online shoppers are more likely to use their mobile device to make regular or impulse purchases rather than expensive, high consideration purchases.

Over 90% of the consumers use mobile devices for quick and frequent purchases of Travel, Music & Movies.

As many as 36% consumers prefer buying high-consideration products like insurance on their PC/ Laptop while 24% consumers prefer buying health supplements on PC/Laptop.

Categories with significant in-store purchases include personal hygiene (30%) & luxury accessories (27%).

Categories on the high growth quadrant - ranked by number of consumers buying them on mobile over other modes - include apparel, electronic devices, baby and pet care products. Users are less likely to buy financial services products on mobile as they see these as more complex purchase decisions.