We are officially in celebration mode. India has kicked off its festive season with Onam and Rakhi! Colours, gifts, beautiful clothes, good food – oh, so much excitement everywhere.
Who else should be excited? We have come up with a list of categories that are decidedly going to outperform this year.
How do we know? We:
- Looked at the consumer data for the festive season of 2022
- Researched shopping patterns of consumers during the Indian festive season
- Analysed the general financial health of Indians
- Surveyed Instamojo stores that are currently in preparation mode
Are you an online seller selling in any of these categories? Well, it’s time to pull up your socks and ready your stocks.
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Indian shopping trends during the festive season: The data crunch
The Indian festive season starts with Onam and Rakhi and ends with Diwali in November. December again sees a slight festive celebration with Christmas and New Year!
Last year’s trends show how the pandemic was not a concern any more. However, the fear of inflation did mute buying sentiments.
Here are some findings from reports published last year:
- Food, beverages and personal care led the demand in the consumer category
- Premium electronic goods like TV, fridges and washing machines also saw a surge in demand just before the festive season
- There was a 10% jump in within-state deliveries during the festive season in 2022
- Northeastern states saw the fastest growth in online orders in 2022
- Tier 2 and tier 3 cities like Haryana and Chandigarh also ranked higher in the fastest-growing list
- One in three households planned to spend more than Rs 10,000 for the festive season
- Online order shipment volumes during festive season sales increased by 55% with peak days seeing a growth of nearly 3x
In 2023, the festive season is coinciding with the Cricket World Cup adding to the enthusiasm. Events like the successful Chandrayan landing, G20 World Meet, the BRICS summit and the strong economic growth momentum of 7.2% in the 2022-23 fiscal year also have Indians in cheerful spirits.
The Indian festive shopping spree is expected to be strong and shatter records this year!
So, what are some eCommerce categories that should start prepping for the festive season in 2023?
Dry fruits, Indian sweets and confectionery
If you see the graph, for the last 5 years, Indian sweets have seen an incredible surge in internet chit-chat during October and November. Diwali and Navaratri is when families shower each other with sweets and confectionaries.
If you are an eCommerce business selling baked goods, homemade sweets, chocolates, pastries, confectionaries, and traditional snacks – then start preparing.
- Ensure your cold storage is adequate, you don’t want a ton of sweets going bad.
- Keep the storage area clean and hygienic so that ants don’t end up having a feast
- If you are taking in customised or bulk orders, be mindful of the time it will take and give realistic delivery dates
Related read: How to sell food online in India: A guide to start an online food business
Bonus: Ingredients like dairy and sugar will also see a high demand during this time. Producers and sellers of these items should be careful about managing expectations, ensuring quality remains fresh and customer service stays excellent.
Decorative lights
You must have heard the rumour that India can be seen from space because of all the lights on Diwali. While India can be seen regardless of the lights, October and November do see a massive sale of these products.
People buy lights and candles in bulk to decorate their houses. Light sales also see a surge because of the street decorations during these months.
Similar to sweets and confectionaries, you can see how trends show sharp spikes in search activity related to decoration lights during the festive months.
So if you want to sell creative decorative lights online then this is the time to stock up and spend a little more time on marketing your business to your target audience.
We at Instamojo are strictly against fireworks. We want you guys to enjoy, but while being safe and keeping our environment toxic-free. So choose sustainable alternatives like lamps, diyas, decorative lights, rangolis etc.
Cleaning services
During the festive months in India, there is a big demand for house cleaning services. With all the festivals and guests coming over, people want a clean and tidy home.
That’s why they hire professional cleaners to help them out. It’s all about creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for family and friends, so everyone can enjoy the celebrations without having to worry about cleaning up.
If you own a cleaning company, then this is the perfect opportunity for you to set up a landing page that highlights different cleaning packages that your customers can choose from!
Create landing pages with Instamojo in under 5 minutes! Watch this video to know more.
Clay idols
It is a season of worshipping. You can see artisans creating beautiful clay idols in every nook and corner of India.
There is something special about clay idols that makes them so loved. As a business, you can join the bandwagon and offer customized clay idols to people who want to make their homes look beautiful and festive.
Skincare and make-up services
Entering into the “looking good for the picture” categories – first, we have skincare and make-up services.
It is no surprise that the festive season sees people meeting each other, relatives coming to visit, and celebrations all around! This is the time when people want to look good.
Salons and beauty services always see major sales during this period. Post-covid, Indian consumers have also started asking for beauty services at home where an expert will come to your house to pamper your skin or hair.
Apart from services from professionals, consumers also invest a lot more in skin care products. Especially conscious and sustainable products like those sold in this Instamojo online store – Kriti Henna.
Kriti Henna is also our Mojo Star because of their excellent marketing strategy for their online store! See her story here.
Clothes and accessories
Is it even the festive season if we don’t wear new clothes? From buying clothes for ourselves to gifting them – eCommerce brands selling clothes and accessories need to be on their toes!
In India especially, ethnic clothing sees a major push (apart from the wedding season). Check out how Stree Kolkata launched a special product line just for the occasion of Durga Pujo!
If you need a quick and easy guide to selling clothes online – we have it right here!
How to prepare yourself for the festive season?
As the festive season approaches, seize the opportunity to capitalize on the increased demand.
Here are some essential steps to maximize your success during this bustling time:
- Monitor competitor prices and adjust yours accordingly to stay competitive without compromising quality.
- Offer discounts as incentives with various coupons and product bundles for higher order value.
- Maintain adequate inventory levels to meet demand and avoid stockouts that can impact sales.
- Communicate clearly with shipping partners and adapt shipping policies to avoid customer disappointment during the festive rush.
With Instamojo, get priority customer support to manage the festive rush smoothly. Start at absolutely zero cost!
