UPI adoption and high-value purchases shape festive ecommerce trends
GoKwik, an Indian ecommerce enabler, recorded a 46.81 per cent year-on-year rise in direct-to-consumer (D2C) orders during the Diwali shopping period from 7–20 October, the company said on Friday. Gross merchandise value (GMV) rose 46.44 per cent compared with the same period in 2024.
The peak shopping day this year arrived eight days before Diwali, reversing last year’s trend when the festival day itself saw the highest order volumes. The shift to improved logistics and reliable delivery timelines across India’s D2C ecosystem.
Sales of air purifiers surged, particularly in urban areas, amid rising pollution levels — reflecting a growing focus on health and wellness among shoppers. Prepaid transactions, mainly via UPI, rose to 52.42 per cent from 37.44 per cent in 2024, while cash-on-delivery fell to 47.58 per cent, signalling increased trust in digital payments, GoKwik said.
“Convenience and trust are the new currencies of commerce. As consumers increasingly rely on UPI and digital payments for even high-ticket purchases, brands that focus on seamless, personalised experiences will lead the next wave of D2C growth”, said Chirag Taneja, Founder, GoKwik.
Beauty and personal care retained the largest share of GMV at 31.29 per cent, followed by fashion and apparel at 23.80 per cent. Jewellery and accessories grew 170 per cent year-on-year, indicating rising high-value online purchases. Festive apparel trends showed kurtas in white as the top-selling item, followed by sarees in maroon, and lehengas commanding the highest average order value. Traditional Diwali items, including diyas, candles, puja thalis, silver coins, kumkum, and rangoli colours, also saw increased online sales.
Maharashtra led state-wise growth with an 81 per cent increase in order volume, followed by Karnataka at 86 per cent, which overtook Uttar Pradesh (58.6 per cent) to become the second-largest state market. Bengaluru remained the top city for D2C orders, followed by Pune, while the Mumbai Metropolitan Region reinforced its festive commerce significance.
Tier 2 cities saw the highest average order value growth at 15.3 per cent, compared with 11.3 per cent in tier 1 and 9.97 per cent in tier 3 cities, reflecting rising purchasing power and digital adoption in smaller urban centres.
GoKwik works with more than 15,000 brands and serves over 200 million shoppers across beauty, fashion, health, jewellery, home, and lifestyle categories. Leading brands using the platform include Mamaearth, Neemans, Man Matters, and Shoppers Stop.
