Meesho, Shopsy see festive sales boom as smaller cities drive demand

Meesho recorded 240 million visits and Shopsy saw 70% of orders from tier-3 towns as India's festive e-commerce battle shifts to smaller cities and value shoppers

Meesho recorded 240 million customer visits during the opening weekend of its festive sale, processing 29,000 orders per minute as the social commerce platform capitalised on surging demand from smaller cities.

 

The SoftBank-backed company saw prepaid orders jump 54 per cent year-on-year during its three-day Mega Blockbuster Sale, while 74 per cent of demand originated from tier-2 and tier-3 markets.

 

Over 48,000 sellers on the platform recorded more than double their typical order volumes, with strong sales across categories from fashion to electronic accessories, the company said.

 

“Customers also drove substantial engagement on our in-app video format, Video Finds, generating about 390 million views and making content commerce a powerful driver of product discovery,” said a Meesho spokesperson. “Nearly 74 per cent of demand came from tier-2+ markets, underscoring our reach, while over 48,000 sellers recorded more than 2X order growth compared to business-as-usual days.”

 

Top-selling products ranged from kurtis, bedsheets, lipsticks, puja items, wallpaper and selfie sticks to perfumes for men, reflecting the wide spectrum of festive demand.

 

Meesho Mall, the company’s branded shopping destination, also saw strong traction as consumers shopped for brands across beauty, electronic accessories, footwear and apparel during the first three days of the sale.

 

“As the sale continues, we remain committed to uniting consumers, sellers, brands, creators and logistics partners on one platform and to providing access to a wide and relevant selection of products at affordable prices,” the Meesho spokesperson said.

 

Flipkart’s hyper-value e-commerce platform Shopsy also reported strong momentum during its Grand Shopsy Mela. With more than 70 per cent of app installs and orders coming from tier-3 and tier-4+ towns, Flipkart said it reflects Bharat’s growing appetite for affordable and quality products. Millennials and Gen Z drove growth in household items, men’s fashion and footwear. Shopsy also reported a 44 per cent increase in repeat buyers during the sale period.

 

“We are thrilled by the double-digit growth across core categories and the record reach in previously underserved towns,” said Kapil Thirani, vice-president, Shopsy and Flipkart Marketplace. “Shopsy remains committed to democratising e-commerce by deepening access and empowering local entrepreneurs.”

 

The Grand Shopsy Mela highlighted how value-conscious shoppers embraced Shopsy’s assortment of over 1 crore products priced under Rs 149 across 1,300 categories. These ranged from festive kurtas for Durga Puja to home décor for Diwali. Household essentials recorded a 108 per cent surge in demand, while men’s casual wear and footwear grew by 95 per cent.

 

The latest sale also drew a wave of young shoppers, with Millennials (48 per cent) and Gen Z (32 per cent) together making up more than 80 per cent of the customer base.

 

Amazon India, meanwhile, reported a sharp uptick in demand for products across categories as the Great Indian Festival opened to all customers this week. The platform, which had earlier granted early access to Prime members, is witnessing strong sales momentum driven by high-end smartphones, televisions, consumer electronics and large appliances.

 

The firm said demand for premium products has expanded into tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Appliances from brands such as Samsung, LG and Haier—including high-end refrigerators, washing machines and air-conditioners—have seen nearly two-fold growth following GST reductions.

 

According to a report by Datum Intelligence, festive sales are expected to grow 27 per cent to about Rs 1.2 trillion in 2025.

 

In rural India, non-essential spending surged to 54.7 per cent in July 2025—the highest in two years—with net sentiment at +37.2, pointing to expectations of further growth ahead of the festive season.

 

In urban India, consumer sentiment turned net positive for the first time in three years, with 37.6 per cent reporting higher non-essential spending in July 2025, signalling a decisive rebound in discretionary demand.