E-comm volumes show healthy festive season rise so far

Bengaluru: E-commerce volumes saw an annual uptick of 16% in the first ten days of the festive sale season compared to the same period last year, an analysis by Unicommerce revealed. The gross merchandise value (GMV) also saw an uptick of 17% in the same period. 

As festival season kicked in, categories like home decor, travel accessories, and electronics and gaming accessories recorded more than a 100% jump in order volumes during this period, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, Unicommerce said.

Categories such as healthy snacks and eatables also grew by 65% on an annual basis. This  aligns with Indian consumers’ rising preference towards healthier food options. On the other hand, kitchenware and apparel grew 34% and 22%, respectively, in order volumes during the sale this year.

Unicommerce’s data shows that tier 2 and 3 cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, Coimbatore, Kolar, Alwar, Kamrup, Sonipat and Gandhinagar led online markets by order volumes, apart from the metros.

The sale trends also showcase an evolving category mix as consumers explore segments other than the regular festive purchases like ethnic wear, electronics and gift items.

While previously, the sale season began during Navratri festivities, the trend has shifted towards starting it a few days earlier, continuing throughout the festive season till Diwali and beyond, the report stated.

This is largely due to change in buying patterns of Indian consumers, who rely more on online platforms than before, driving sales for the e-commerce segment, boosted by high-level discounts. The analysis was based on over 2.8 million order items processed on Unicommerce’s platform during the ten day period for 2024 and 2025.