Premium products, fast deliveries fuel ecom boom during Diwali

Amazon, Flipkart, Instamart, Zepto report sales surge across smartphones, gold coins

- PEERZADA ABRAR & UDISHA SRIVASTAV

During the period of Diwali shopping, ecommerce and quick-commerce platforms recorded sharp demand increases, with premium products and instant-delivery services driving growth and festival spend extending beyond major cities.

Amazon India reported 2.76 billion customer visits during its month-long sale while quick-commerce platforms saw multifold increases in traditional festival items and last-minute purchases.

Zepto recorded nine-fold growth in sweet sales and 25-fold increase in ethnic wear, while Swiggy Instamart reported five-fold growth in gold and silver coin purchases.

The shopping pattern reflected both premiumisation trends, with Amazon reporting 30 per cent growth in sales of smartphones that cost more than %30,000, and a rapid adoption of instant deliveries for festival essentials.

“The week leading up to Diwali saw a significant surge in shopping, starting with Dhanteras,” Saurabh Srivastava, vice-president, Amazon India, told Business Standard. “Customers across India shopped for gifts, home décor, electronics, fashion, and everyday essentials. More than 70 per cent of customers came from Tier-II and -III cities.”