Festive Sales

Flipkart, Amazon and Meesho see strong demand from smaller towns and first-time buyers, while quick commerce and food delivery record limited festive gains, a BofA report finds

ndia’s consumption recovery is gaining momentum, but rising crude oil and packaging costs could squeeze FMCG margins. In this episode of *Markets This Week*, we look at the stocks brokerages favour

The Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations (CWBTA) on Monday expressed concern over the rising volume of online festive sales and the deep discounts offered by e-commerce platforms, saying the widening online-offline price gap was hurting traditional retailers. E-commerce companies have reportedly clocked around Rs 24,000 crore in sales in the first two days of the festive season, it claimed. The apex trade body said such a shift in consumer spending, coupled with aggressive price competition, was putting significant pressure on offline retailers and traditional markets. CWBTA president Sushil Poddar said the issue was not the growth of e-commerce but the large difference in prices between online and offline sellers. "Online sales of around Rs 24,000 crore in just two days clearly demonstrate the enormous scale of the shift in consumer purchasing. However, when such sales are driven by substantial price differences, the impact on offline traders cannot be ignored. Traditio

Nearly one in two visits in Flipkart's opening hour came from Tier 3 towns and beyond, while non-metro customers accounted for about 60 per cent of demand during the sale

Online festive sales could rise 29 per cent to ₹1.55 trillion, with quick commerce taking a 16 per cent share as Flipkart and Amazon expand their rapid delivery networks

Despite a 5-8 per cent increase in prices of air-conditioners and other consumer appliances ahead of the festive season, manufacturers are hopeful of recording double-digit growth in sales, led by premiumisation, replacement demand, easy financing and improved consumer sentiment. The latest price increase, the third round of revisions this year, has come ahead of the peak festive season, with higher costs of copper, aluminium, steel and crude derivatives, besides rising freight expenses and currency fluctuations prompting companies to raise prices. The industry, which started the festive season on a positive note with strong sales during Onam in the South, expects the momentum to continue through Navratri and Diwali, aided by premiumisation, replacement demand and easy availability of consumer financing. Consumers are increasingly opting for larger-capacity and feature-rich appliances, including energy-efficient and smart connected products, which is expected to support value growth

Logistics arm Ekart adds 14 million cubic feet of storage and 900 delivery hubs to push same-day shipping into remote regions

Nearly half of high-value electronics purchases are expected to use affordability options, while biometric authentication is seeing higher payment success rates

Discover how flexible payment instruments allow Indian households to manage high-value purchases during peak shopping months without straining their finances.

Amazon's Great Republic Day sale brings discounts on smartphones from brands such as Samsung, Apple, and OnePlus, along with bank offers and no-interest EMI options

Platform records 2.76 billion visits during month-long sale as premium products and same-day delivery expand beyond metros

As the country prepares for the Diwali festival, credit card swipes, UPI transfers and gold sales from previous years reveal how people feel about their wallets and their future

The brand reports record smartphone and TV sales during Navratri and Dussehra, driven by GST rate cuts, festive offers, and rising demand for premium AI devices

Consumers held back purchases as they waited for new GST rates

ecommerce companies complete technical preparations for the simplified GST structure

Titan Company brand expects bridal lehengas and more wedding dates this year to help its growth plans

Two-wheeler sales in August 2025 rose for Royal Enfield, TVS, Hero and Suzuki, while Bajaj and Honda reported declines, with festive demand and GST reforms set to boost outlook

Flipkart and Amazon are scaling warehouse and delivery networks ahead of festive sales projected to touch Rs 120,000 crore, while Myntra and Instamart gear up for rising demand

Smartphone makers are increasingly reducing product lifecycles to ensure their portfolios remain updated ahead of the festive season. They are also rolling out discounts and offers on the older models

India's festive season is expected to generate over 2.16 lakh seasonal jobs in the second half of 2025, marking a 15-20 per cent year-on-year increase in gig and temporary employment, a report said on Wednesday. The rise in festive hiring is being driven by sectors, including retail, e-commerce, BFSI, logistics, hospitality, travel, and FMCG, workforce solutions firm Adecco India said in the report. Hiring activity has gained momentum in anticipation of upcoming festivals like Raksha Bandhan, Dussehra, Diwali, seasonal sales and the wedding season. Many companies are advancing their hiring cycles to stay ahead of demand and ensure operational readiness for what is expected to be a stronger-than-usual festive period. This year's hiring uptick is being driven by improved consumer sentiment, a favourable monsoon boosting rural demand, post-election economic optimism, and aggressive seasonal promotions, the report stated. This report on hiring in seasonal jobs is based on data of Adec