Festive sales kick off with strong demand from smaller towns, premium buys gain traction

India’s festive shopping season opened on a strong note across e-commerce platforms, with Flipkart, Amazon, Myntra and Meesho reporting a sharp increase in orders, customer participation and demand from smaller towns, as shoppers combined value-led purchases with premium upgrades across categories.

Flipkart recorded 6.3 million concurrent users in a minute during the opening hour of its 13th Big Billion Days sale, while sessions crossed 287 million during early access. New customers grew 34 per cent, with nearly half of visits in the opening hour coming from Tier-3 towns and beyond. Non-metro customers accounted for around 60 per cent of demand.

Amazon said the opening of its Great Indian Festival was the biggest in the event’s history, with the number of products ordered rising more than 100 per cent year-on-year. Customers from every pin code placed orders, with premium Android smartphone sales growing 70 per cent year-on-year, and fashion sales reaching seven times the level of a regular day.

Myntra’s Big Fashion Festival, which began on October 8, recorded a four-fold surge in demand over business-as-usual levels in its first 24 hours. Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities contributed more than half of first-day orders, while the average order value was higher than on the opening day of last year’s edition, indicating a shift towards premium purchases.

Meesho’s Mega Blockbuster Sale also saw strong traction, with Day 1 orders rising around 75 per cent year-on-year and transacting customers growing about 60 per cent. Orders peaked at more than 75,000 per minute within 15 minutes of the sale going live.

The early trends point to festive demand spreading beyond metropolitan centres, while shoppers continue to seek discounts and financing options alongside aspirational products.

The electronics, fashion, beauty and home categories featured prominently across platforms. On Flipkart, large appliance sales grew 30 per cent year-on-year in the opening hour, while tablets grew 73 per cent. Beauty sales increased 42 per cent, driven by men’s grooming and personal care.

Amazon reported strong demand for premium electronics and home upgrades. Sales of laptops, premium wearables and large appliances rose sharply over regular-day levels, while televisions measuring 55 inches and above accounted for 65 per cent of TV sales. Fashion sales reached seven times a regular day, with demand for footwear, denim and ethnic wear.

On Myntra, men’s T-shirts, jeans, sneakers, women’s tops and dresses were among the most sought-after products. The platform also reported strong demand for occasion wear, beauty and premium brands. In the eastern markets, demand during BFF rose seven-fold over business-as-usual levels, with West Bengal, Assam and Bihar contributing to the surge ahead of Durga Puja.

Meesho saw demand for sarees, kurta sets, children’s clothing, beauty products and home essentials. Orders on its branded shopping proposition, Meesho Mall, grew more than 200 per cent year-on-year, while customers from Tier-3 and smaller markets nearly tripled.

Affordability remained central to purchases. Flipkart said one in four mobile shoppers opted for exchange and one in three chose no-cost EMI. Amazon reported that one in two customers shopped using EMI.

Quick commerce also gained traction as platforms extended rapid delivery beyond everyday essentials. Flipkart Minutes recorded a 3.5-fold increase in order volumes over regular days during its opening phase, while new customers grew 11-fold in the first hour. Purchases included premium electronics, grooming products and wearables, with an iPhone 17 delivered to a customer in New Delhi in 3.4 minutes.