Diwali Splurge: 42% of credit card users spend over Rs 50,000, Paisabazaar survey reveals

48 percent preferred a mix of online and offline, using e-commerce for deals and physical stores.

Credit card users swiped the most for appliances this festive season, with 42 percent of the credit card users spending over Rs 50,000, according to a Paisabazaar survey of over 2,300 respondents conducted during October 2025. Of these, 22 percent spent between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh while 20 percent users crossed the Rs 1 lakh mark - highlighting a tilt toward high-ticket festive purchases through credit cards.

Credit cards were used the most for home appliances - at 25 percent - followed by mobiles, gadgets and accessories (23 percent) and apparel (22 percent). Furniture and décor (18 percent) and gold & jewellery (12 percent) too featured prominently, as consumers leveraged on big-ticket buys during festive offers.

The shopping behaviour during the festive season showed that 91 percent users planned their spending strategically around card offers, while fewer than 10 percent relied solely on standard rewards. Cashback emerged as the top incentive (20 percent), closely followed by co-branded offers (19 percent) and accelerated reward points (18 percent), showed the survey. Among EMI users, 56 percent opted for No-Cost EMI, drawn by zero interest, while 29 percent sought deeper discounts.

“Consumers are using credit cards more strategically, aligning big purchases with festive deals and rewards,” said Santosh Agarwal, CEO, Paisabazaar, reflecting a rising awareness and growing role of consumer credit in maximising value.

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Shopping Habits Across Channels

As many as 48 percent of the credit card users preferred a mix of online and offline mode, using e-commerce for deals and physical stores for product experience, before finalizing the purchase. Notably, 83 percent found the best discounts on platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, the two dominant apps.

Rohit Chhibbar, Head of Credit Cards, Paisabazaar said, “Today’s shopper is value-driven, navigating both digital and physical channels to optimise card benefits - cashback, no-cost EMIs, and merchant discounts have made credit cards indispensable for festive spending.”