Industry Odisha Bureau, Oct 12: Shoppers upgrading to costlier TVs, phones and appliances drove a strong festive online sales start. Entry-level demand, however, remains weak as rising prices squeeze budget buyers.
India’s festive online sales grew by up to 40% in the first three days. Executives said the year-on-year jump came largely from premium purchases. Shoppers moved up to costlier electronics, appliances and packaged goods.
The surge came despite fuel-driven inflation and rising product prices. Growth in sales value, however, does not necessarily mean more units sold.
Buying picked up from Sunday midnight in north and south India. That timing matched the start of Navratri and the end of the Shradh period. Shradh is traditionally considered an inauspicious time.
Haier India chief executive Satish NS said Navratri gave an already strong start fresh momentum. He reported over 30% year-on-year growth in the first three days. Customers trading up to higher-value products drove that rise, he said.
Packaged food has also gained. Parle Products chief marketing officer Mayank Shah reported 45–50% growth in packaged food sales. Mid-sized and large packs led demand, alongside healthier and differentiated products.
Quick-commerce platforms are seeing similar momentum, Shah said. Average urban bill values there have risen 15–20%. Larger baskets are not the same as more frequent orders.
Smaller towns are adding first-time quick-commerce users, he added. Executives said festive demand extended to these apps for small electronics and household goods.
Television maker Super Plastronics reported 10% growth in the first two days. Growth then accelerated to 20% from Sunday midnight. The company sells Kodak, Thomson and Blaupunkt televisions.
Chief executive Avneet Singh Marwah said sales of 32-inch sets have declined. Large 55-inch and 65-inch models grew by more than 20%. He noted a high base, after last year’s GST cut on televisions.
Wonderchef chief executive Ravi Saxena reported about 20% higher sales, led by premium products. Mass-market buyers looked cautious amid global uncertainty and weak stock markets, he said.
Smartphones show the divide most clearly. Counterpoint Research said overall mobile phone volumes fell 12%.
Premium phones priced above ₹45,000 were the only segment to grow. Research director Tarun Pathak said this would lift overall smartphone sales value.
Repeated price hikes have weighed on entry-level electronics demand. Smartphone prices have risen an estimated 35–40% this year. Laptops and televisions have become up to 25% costlier.
AI data centres are driving heavy demand for memory chips, a key component. That has pushed up device manufacturing costs.
Appliances, FMCG, apparel and footwear also cost more. Higher commodity and freight costs have contributed. So has a weaker rupee amid the West Asia crisis.
The early figures suggest concentrated rather than broad-based spending. Better-off shoppers are upgrading, while price-sensitive households are holding back.
Strong sales values may therefore coexist with weaker unit demand. How far premium buying can carry the season remains to be seen.
