Datum Intelligence report says that quick commerce is likely to account for 12 per cent of online retail sales in 2025, up from 8 per cent in 2024
Continuing a consistent upward trajectory since 2014, online shoppers are expected to spend around Rs 1,20,000 crore throughout the festive season in 2025, up 27 per cent from 2024. Data from Datum Intelligence showed that quick commerce is likely to account for 12 per cent of online retail sales, up from 8 per cent in 2024.
Urban and rural India are showing strong signs of consumption revival ahead of the 2025 festive season. The report highlighted that urban sentiment turned net positive (+0.4) for the first time since 2022, with a sharp rise in discretionary spending. Rural confidence surged higher, with 54.7 per cent reporting increased non-essential spend and net response hitting +37.2, the highest on record.
As the festive sales gross merchandise value (GMV) is expected to fare better as compared to Rs 94,800 crore in 2024, the report emphasised that the rising share of quick commerce is reflecting the growing consumer preference for instant deliveries and last-minute convenience during the shopping season.
This growth is mirrored in net order value, which has more than doubled year-on-year, from USD 0.79 billion in 2024 to an estimated USD 1.6 billion in 2025, as per the report, which noted that quick commerce is rapidly becoming a mainstream channel for festive gifting, beauty, personal care, and electronics accessories.
Categories Driving Sales Surge
In the 2025 festive season, mobile and lifestyle categories are expected to continue dominating online festive sales, together accounting for just over 50 per cent of the total GMV. However, both have seen a slight dip in their share compared to 2024, mobiles declining from 32.8 per cent to 30.6 per cent, and lifestyle from 20.4 per cent to 19.8 per cent, indicating early signs of market diversification.
Datum Intelligence explained that, driven by a growing preference for value-led, everyday essentials, grocery (rising to 11.9 per cent), appliances, and personal care and cosmetics have gained share. On the sentiment front, the report added that future outlook remains bullish across both segments, with 73.6 per cent of rural and 43.6 per cent of urban consumers expecting to spend more in the next 12 month.
Credit and debit card spending on ecommerce rebounded strongly, growing around 20 per cent YoY in March 2025 and maintaining double-digit momentum into the first quarter of the current financial year (FY26). The report said that with Goods and Services tax (GST) cuts expected soon and ecommerce platforms gearing up for early festive rollouts, H2 2025 could accelerate further on top of this solid Q1 base.
Increased Spending Power
As consumer sentiment ahead of the 2025 festive season points to strong momentum in discretionary spending, the report noted that nearly 70 per cent of surveyed shoppers expect to spend more than they did in 2024. 29 per cent are projecting an increase between 11 per cent and 25 per cent, and another 26 per cent are anticipating a more modest 1 per cent to 10 per cent rise.
The report highlighted that 15 per cent of consumers are planning a significant spike of over 25 per cent in their festive spending. In contrast, only 17 per cent expect any reduction in expenditure, while 12 per cent intend to keep their spending at similar levels to last year.
Amazon and Flipkart are set to dominate the 2025 festive season, with 83 per cent and 79 per cent of surveyed shoppers respectively planning to purchase from them. Datum Intelligence report noted that Myntra (53 per cent) and Meesho (52 per cent) are also major destinations, reinforcing their stronghold in fashion and value-conscious segments.
Signalling the rapid rise of quick commerce platforms in festive baskets, Blinkit (37 per cent) has jumped into the top five ahead of Nykaa. The report added that emerging platforms like Ajio, Instamart, and Zepto continue to gain traction, reflecting an increasingly diversified ecommerce landscape.
