ClickPost data shows shipments across 200 direct-to-consumer brands rose to 4.1 million in the first four days of the 2026 festive sale window, even as marketplace gross merchandise value declined 10 per cent year-on-year, according to analyst estimates
India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands recorded a 31.4 per cent year-on-year increase in shipment volumes during the first four days of the 2026 festive sale window, even as marketplace gross merchandise value (GMV) declined 10 per cent, according to a report by logistics technology platform ClickPost. Shipments across a fixed cohort of 200 D2C brands rose to 4.10 million from 3.12 million in the corresponding period last year.
The data point to a divergence in festive shopping trends, with D2C shipment growth contrasting with a reported decline in marketplace sales value. The marketplace GMV estimate of Rs 30,000 crore for the first four days, cited by Moneycontrol, is based on analyst estimates. ClickPost cautioned that differences in the days covered by the two festive-sale windows could have influenced the year-on-year comparison, although it said the broader growth trend remained intact.
Growth Across D2C Brands Remains Uneven
ClickPost’s analysis found that around half of the tracked brands recorded shipment growth of more than 25 per cent year-on-year, while roughly one-third grew by more than 50 per cent. The strongest performers nearly doubled their shipment volumes.
However, growth was not uniform. More than one-fifth of brands reported a decline of over 25 per cent, while the median brand recorded growth of around 19 per cent. The findings suggest that, although festive demand is expanding across much of the D2C segment, performance gaps between brands remain significant.
The report comes as major e-commerce marketplaces have reported strong early-season engagement. Amazon said its Great Indian Festival recorded more than 440 million visits in its opening phase, with 72 per cent coming from beyond the top nine metropolitan areas. Flipkart also reported an increase in transacting sellers during its Big Billion Days sale.
ClickPost’s findings offer a different measure of the market: shipment volumes generated by brands selling through their own storefronts rather than headline marketplace traffic or sales value.
Tier 1 Cities Rejoin The Growth Curve
D2C shipment growth extended across city tiers, with Tier 1 cities recording a 37 per cent year-on-year increase, followed by Tier 3 cities at 34 per cent and Tier 2 cities at 27 per cent.
Tier 3 cities accounted for 45 per cent of total D2C shipments on the network, while Tier 2 cities contributed another 22 per cent. Together, the two segments represented around two-thirds of shipments, underlining the importance of smaller cities to the D2C business model.
At the same time, the stronger growth in Tier 1 cities challenges the view that D2C expansion is driven primarily by a shift towards smaller urban centres. The data indicate that demand is growing across both metropolitan and non-metropolitan markets.
East India Records Fastest Regional Growth
East India emerged as the fastest-growing region during the sale window, with shipment volumes increasing 24.3 per cent year-on-year. North, South and West India recorded growth in the 4–7 per cent range, according to ClickPost.
The regional divergence raises questions about whether East India’s performance reflects a temporary festive-season spike or a more sustained expansion in D2C adoption. The report said shipment trends through November and the post-Diwali period will help establish whether the increase continues.
Prepaid Orders Overtake Half Of D2C Shipments
Payment behaviour also shifted during the festive period. Prepaid shipments increased 47 per cent year-on-year, outpacing the 27 per cent growth in cash-on-delivery (COD) shipments. Prepaid orders accounted for 52 per cent of total D2C shipments, up from 46 per cent in the comparable 2025 period.
Median basket values remained broadly stable, at Rs 1,044 for prepaid orders and Rs 870 for COD orders. This suggests that the increase in shipment volumes was driven primarily by a higher number of orders rather than a substantial rise in average purchase value.
The increase in prepaid transactions points to a growing role for digital payments in D2C commerce, while the continued contribution of COD highlights the relevance of different payment preferences across consumer segments.
ClickPost’s analysis covered more than 7.2 million forward shipments across the two comparison periods, involving 200 brands that shipped more than 500 forward orders in both windows. The company noted that the 2026 period included a full weekend, unlike the mid-week comparison window in 2025, which may have contributed to the reported growth.
