Amazon, Flipkart festive blitz fuels 29% YoY surge in first-week sales to record Rs 60,700 crore

Amazon, Flipkart festive blitz fuels 29 percent YoY surge in first-week sales to record Rs 60,700 crore

India’s festival e-commerce season is off to a strong start, with Amazon and Flipkart reporting record traffic and robust demand during their flagship sale events — Big Billion Days (TBBD) and the Great Indian Festival (GIF). A mix of GST cuts, Gen Z shoppers and high-value purchases has set the stage for what is shaping up to be the sector’s biggest festival season yet.

Online festival season sales touched Rs 60,700 crore in the first week, up 29 percent year-on-year, marking the strongest opening ever for India’s digital retail sector, according to a report by market intelligence firm Datum Intelligence.

The firm expects total festival sales to cross Rs 1.2 lakh crore this year, with more than half of that already logged in the opening week. This compares with nearly Rs 1 lakh crore in sales last year and Rs 81,000 crore in 2023.

How big was the first-week festival haul?

The Rs 60,700 crore gross merchandise value (GMV) recorded between September 22 and 28 marks India’s strongest festival opening yet. As per Datum, mobiles continued to dominate, contributing 42 percent of GMV, but appliances and grocery were the fastest-growing categories, rising 41 percent and 44 percent year-on-year respectively.

Appliance sales got a lift from GST 2.0 reforms that lowered prices on big-ticket items, while grocery benefited from quick commerce expansion and festive gifting demand. Consumer electronics and homeware also saw healthy double-digit growth.

How did Flipkart perform during Big Billion Days?

Flipkart reported 606 million visits in the first 48 hours of its flagship sale, with Gen Z accounting for one-third of the traffic — nearly twice the usual share.

“A critical enabler of this surge has been the GST 2.0 reforms, which unlocked demand in high-value categories. Customers who were browsing but holding back in September converted quickly once the revised rates came into effect,” said Pratik Shetty, Vice President, Growth & Marketing, Flipkart.

He added that traffic and transactions held steady through the opening weekend, pointing to “a structural shift in consumer demand” compared to previous years, when activity typically dipped after early-access days.

What trends is Amazon seeing during the Great Indian Festival?

Amazon saw a record 38 crore visits in the first 48 hours, with more than 70 percent coming from beyond the top nine metros. Premiumisation was a clear theme, with smartphones priced above Rs 20,000 growing 50 percent year-on-year, QLED TVs up 23 percent, and Mini-LED TVs up 27 percent. Premium watches, jewellery and beauty products also posted strong gains.

“The #GSTBachatUtsav initiative has been incredibly well-received, with sellers passing on GST benefits worth crores in just 48 hours,” said Saurabh Srivastava, Vice President, Amazon India. The company also reported its fastest-ever deliveries, with over 80 lakh products reaching Prime members within two days.

Why are shoppers buying earlier this year?

Early-access days on September 22 gave platforms a strong head start. Shoppers rushed to secure deals and tax benefits, making it the single largest sales day of the week. The first two days alone contributed nearly a third of the week’s GMV.

Unlike previous years, sales momentum didn’t taper off after the opening weekend. Both Flipkart and Amazon reported sustained traffic and transactions, indicating a broader and more durable consumption cycle this festival season.

What’s driving the surge this year?

A mix of policy tailwinds, shifting consumer behaviour, and platform strategy. GST cuts have made big-ticket purchases more affordable, Gen Z is emerging as a key demand driver, and shoppers from smaller towns are driving premiumisation beyond metros.

Datum’s data shows festival GMV has doubled in five years. This year’s growth stands out for being wider and more sustained, rather than relying solely on discount-led spikes.

What’s next for the festival season?

With over half of projected sales already logged, both Amazon and Flipkart are gearing up for a busy October run-up to Diwali.

“With GST reforms improving affordability and sellers gaining renewed confidence, the conditions are ripe for sustained consumption across categories through October and beyond,” said Flipkart’s Shetty.

If the current momentum holds, this could be the biggest festival season in India’s e-commerce history, marking a clear shift towards more stable, demand-led growth.