High-value festive buys rule Diwali: 42% spent over ₹50,000 on credit cards

91% planned purchases around card offers; cashback was the most valued reward

Indians went big on festive spending this Diwali, with more than 42% of credit card users shelling out over ₹50,000 on purchases, while 22%  spent between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh, according to a new Paisabazaar survey.

 

The survey, which covered over 2,300 respondents, revealed a notable shift in consumer behavior — 91% planned their festive purchases around specific card offers, and less than 10% shopped without waiting for discounts or cashback programmes.

 

“The surge in high-ticket festive purchases through credit cards reflects a growing affinity towards value and convenience,” said Santosh Agarwal, CEO, Paisabazaar. “Consumers are timing their big-ticket buys to coincide with festive season deals and card-specific rewards.” 

The survey with over 2300 respondents revealed that home appliances (25%), mobiles, gadgets & accessories (23%), and apparel (22%) were the top three spend categories on credit cards in the festive season

 

 

High-Value Spending Trends

 

About 22% of respondents spent between ₹50,000 and ₹1 lakh, while 20% exceeded the ₹1 lakh mark, signaling a significant rise in premium festive spending.

 

In terms of categories, home appliances (25%), mobiles and gadgets (23%), and apparel (22%) were the top three areas where consumers swiped their cards. Furniture and décor accounted for 18%, while gold and jewellery made up 12% of total credit card spends.Diwali. The survey indicated increasing use of credit cards to make high-ticket purchases more rewarding.

 

Cashback Tops the Rewards Chart

 

Credit card benefits continued to be a key motivator for using cards in festive spending. A majority (71%) of respondents held shopping-specific credit cards offering cashback and rewards. Another 15% received festive offers despite not owning such cards, while 14% did not gain any shopping-related benefits.

 

The survey found that cashback was the most sought-after incentive, chosen by nearly 20% of respondents. This was closely followed by co-branded offers (19%) and accelerated reward points (18%).

 

Among those who opted for EMIs, 56% went for no-cost EMI, while 29% were driven by additional discounts and 10% used EMIs simply to stagger payments over time.

 

“This year’s survey reflects the rise of the strategic and value-aware shopper,” said Rohit Chhibbar, Head of Credit Cards, Paisabazaar. “Consumers are seeking to maximise card value through cashback, rewards, and EMI-linked discounts.”

 

E-Commerce Dominance Continues

 

Shopping channels also reflected evolving consumer preferences — 48% of respondents used a mix of online and offline shopping, valuing both convenience and experience.

 

At least 83% of shoppers said they found the best deals on Amazon and Flipkart, compared with just 7% who preferred physical stores. Amazon and Flipkart jointly accounted for 43% of total e-commerce preference, followed by Myntra (15%) and Meesho (10%). Other platforms like Ajio, Nykaa, Zepto, and Tata Cliq made up 32% collectively. 

The survey reaffirmed the dominance of Amazon and Flipkart as the two leading e-commerce platforms;