Diwali festival shopping: More orders through quick commerce platforms; e-commerce take a back seat

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 More orders through quick commerce platforms; e-commerce take a back seat

As Diwali festivities continue, shoppers are turning to quick-commerce platforms for last-minute festive essentials, driving a surge in orders even as broader ecommerce remained muted in the past week.

Ultra-fast delivery services are attracting buyers seeking gifts, sweets, lights, diyas, and puja items in the final festive week.Ecommerce consultancy Datum Intelligence said that almost 70% of the Rs 22,000-25,000 crore gross merchandise value (GMV) projected for the last week of festive sales, ending on Bahidooj, has already been achieved. Usually, the final moments of the festive sales are ruled by ecommerce platforms. Satish Meena, founder of Datum Intelligence told ET, “We are seeing more demand for gifting items, dry fruits, puja essentials, Diwali lights and diyas on quick commerce.” “There was an uptick in gold and silver coins as well as utensils on Dhanteras.”Several direct-to-consumer brands reported strong growth. Bakery brand The Baker's Dozen, for example, saw orders almost double from last year, with demand nearly three times higher than usual.

“People are no longer just looking for something sweet to gift; they want the entire experience to feel thoughtful, aesthetic and meaningful,” the brand’s cofounder and MD, Sneh Jain, told ET.Quick-commerce apps including Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto rolled out festive-focused features, such as zero delivery charges and exclusive prasad sourced from prominent religious sites. Many created dedicated Diwali sections highlighting gifts, home decor, fashion, electronics, sweets, dry fruits, and party supplies.

Some even integrated interactive features like flying lanterns and popping diyas on their apps.Fashion and lifestyle brand Zouk reported a fivefold year-on-year jump in quick-commerce sales. Personal care brand Pilgrim also recorded a 30-40% increase over normal days.Electronic commerce slows downTraditional ecommerce demand remained muted. Many buyers had completed planned purchases for big-ticket items during the first week of festive sales.Meena told ET that during Diwali, ecommerce orders were mostly confined to categories such as mobiles, televisions, and fashion, while footfall at shopping malls and retail stores saw a noticeable increase.“We saw a 40% dip in sales this year during the week leading up to Diwali compared to last year,” said Sumit Kumar, CEO of Leopax Enterprises. Wellness brand Secret Alchemist reported lower-than-expected growth, as customers increasingly shopped offline or directly on brand websites.Overall, online marketplaces are expected to ship Rs 1.2 lakh crore worth of goods this festive season, a 27% increase over last year, with ecommerce generating about Rs 60,700 crore GMV in the opening week.

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