E-commerce retailers sold goods worth 24,000 crore rupees in the first two days of holiday sales
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E-commerce retailers sold goods worth 24,000 crore rupees in the first two days of holiday sales

According to the consulting firm Redseer Strategy Consultants, e-commerce retailers realized goods worth approximately 24,000 crore rupees during the first two days of the holiday sales season. This growth is attributed to an increase in order volumes, with mobile phones accounting for the largest share by value.

The consulting company calculated that customers placed about 8-9 crore orders across all platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, and Ajio, as well as many other marketplaces.

Nikhil Dalal, a partner at Redseer Strategy Consultants, told PTI that the first two days demonstrated the expansion of the Indian e-commerce shopping basket. The growth is stimulated by the increase in the number of orders, as consumers are allocating their spending not only on mobile devices but also on clothing, electronics, and home appliances.

He noted that 'fashion products occupied a significant place, as buyers from second-tier cities and smaller towns purchased festive clothing at affordable prices.' In the first two days, the total Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) exceeded 2.5 billion US dollars (close to 24,200 crore rupees), and about 60-65 million customers participated in the sale.

The firm reported that the GMV growth was approximately six times higher than the daily average during normal times. Players like Amazon and Flipkart actively utilize their quick delivery divisions for sales, increasing their significance on the platform, where GMV was 4-5 times higher than the average daily figure during normal times.

According to estimates, sales of large home appliances and electronics grew faster than the market, even though mobile phones remained the largest category by value. Mobile phones accounted for an estimated 38-40 percent or approximately 9,100-9,600 crore rupees of the total sales volume.

Redseer forecasts that the share of consumer electronics in total sales will be around 25-27 percent, or 6,000-6,500 crore rupees, and the share of fashion products will be in the range of 15-18 percent, or about 3,630-4,350 crore rupees. Together with televisions, large home appliances and electronics accounted for approximately 25-27 percent of the GMV.

Televisions, refrigerators, and air conditioners made up more than two-thirds of large home appliance sales. 55-inch screen TV models from TCL, LG, Samsung, and Xiaomi represented over 75 percent of the best-selling TV models.

Redseer estimates that by the first half of 2026, electronics sales have already grown by more than 20 percent, partly because consumers were making purchases in advance anticipating price increases in the second half of 2026.

The first two days of holiday sales registered an average of 14 times more orders than usual, with laptops and Internet of Things (IoT) devices leading the electronics category. GMV in the fashion segment grew by 22-25 percent year-on-year in the first two days, capturing 15-18 percent of the total GMV and reaching 3-5 times the average GMV during normal times.

Redseer estimates that Generation Z comprised about one-third of the customers on the first day. Of approximately 6-6.5 crore customers who made purchases in the first two days, Redseer believes that about two-thirds came from second-tier cities and rural areas. Approximately 15-16 crore unique customers typically make transactions on e-commerce platforms in a normal month. As Dalal noted, 'Thus, the first two days attracted more than a third of this monthly customer base to the holiday sale. The number of first-time buyers doubled compared to last year. We expect 100 million customers to shop during the entire 11-day first phase.'

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Amazon and Flipkart mark strong start to 2026 seasonal sales in India
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Amazon and Flipkart mark strong start to 2026 seasonal sales in India

The two largest e-commerce platforms in India, Amazon India and Flipkart, have launched their annual major seasonal sales: Amazon Great Indian Festival (GIF) 2026 and The Big Billion Days (TBBD) 2026. Both companies reported high levels of consumer participation, a sharp increase in demand across various product categories, and increased use of fast delivery options in regions outside major metropolitan areas.

Amazon reported that over 440 million visits were registered during the initial phase of its sale, marking the highest figure in the platform's history. There was a 100% growth in orders compared to the previous year, and daily app downloads increased fivefold. Over 72% of all visitors came from regions outside the nine largest cities. The number of first-time buyers almost doubled year-on-year, and orders were received from every postal code in the country.

Meanwhile, Flipkart recorded 6.3 million concurrent users during peak load, attracting more than six times the active users compared to an ordinary hour. The platform also noted 287 million sessions registered during the early access period for Plus, Black program members, and co-cardholders.

Non-metro markets accounted for about 60% of the total activity volume, with tier three cities and below contributing nearly half of all visits in the first hour. During the same period, the number of new customers grew by 34%. Amazon highlighted exceptional momentum in the electronics and premium upgrades segments. Sales of premium Android smartphones grew by 70% compared to last year, while MacBook Neo sales increased 65 times compared to a normal workday. Large home appliances showed a 50-fold increase, led by washing machines (80 times), refrigerators (60 times), and home entertainment systems (77 times).

In the fashion sector, shoe sales speed reached seven pairs per second, and Nike sales grew 16 times compared to normal days. Denim clothing sales exceeded 1500 pairs per hour, and premium cosmetics sold at a rate of 150 units per minute.

Flipkart reported high demand for large home appliances, which grew by 30% year-on-year in the first hour, as well as a 73% rise in tablet sales. Overall cosmetic sales on Flipkart increased by 42%, and among Gen Z buyers, by 48%, driven by the growth in men's grooming. During peak hours, Flipkart processed over 1600 units of men's fragrances per minute. Regarding engagement, over 12.7 million users utilized Flipkart's live commerce and video shopping features, with 64% of voice search users coming from tier two markets and above.

Fast order fulfillment became a key area of competition on both platforms. Amazon stated that it fulfills orders within minutes in over 120 cities served by Amazon Now. Flipkart Minutes service showed a 3.5-fold increase in order volumes compared to normal days, and the number of new customers increased elevenfold in the first hour. A record delivery example was the handover of an iPhone 17 to a customer in New Delhi in just 3.4 minutes.

The conversion of high-value purchases was stimulated by accessibility options. Half of Amazon's buyers utilized installment options (EMI), transactions via Amazon Pay Later doubled, and the user base grew by 80% year-on-year. Similarly, Flipkart reported that one in three mobile device buyers chose interest-free installments, and one in four used exchange offers.

Seller participation expanded on both platforms. Amazon reported that sellers listed more than twice the quantity of goods in the first 24 hours compared to last year, with sellers earning over 1 crore rupees in sales, exceeding growth by more than 80%. Growth categories for sellers were led by cosmetics (7 times), kitchenware (4.2 times), and wireless devices (3.4 times).

Some key partner brands demonstrated a significant surge, such as Philips (10 times higher than the baseline), Reebok (doubling sales year-on-year), WROGN (10 times higher than the baseline), and Penguin Random House India (nearly 50% growth year-on-year).

Flipkart noted that 51% of transacting sellers doubled their standard daily activity during the early access period. Sellers based in tier two markets and above, such as small businesses and SMEs, achieved a 2.9-fold growth, with manufacturing and trade centers, including Bhiwandi, Panipat, Tirupur, and Hisar, leading the sales momentum.

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