Mobiles and ethnic wear emerge as popular gifting picks, while Gen Z drives self-care and wellness purchases
India’s online shopping activity during the run-up to International Women’s Day 2026 reflected a mix of appreciation-led gifting and self-care spending, with overall demand on Flipkart rising 5 per cent year-on-year, according to the company’s latest #FlipTrends data.
The ecommerce platform said the increase was recorded during the period between 23 February and 8 March, as the occasion increasingly evolved into a multi-week celebration rather than a single-day event. Demand strengthened across categories such as mobiles, grooming, food and nutrition, indicating that shoppers were combining traditional gifting with personal wellness purchases.
Popular product categories recorded a 37 per cent year-on-year increase in orders and a 12 per cent rise in search queries. Women’s ethnic sets, sarees and mobile phones emerged as some of the most preferred gifting items across customer segments. Flipkart also reported a male-to-female shopper ratio of 2:1, reflecting strong participation from male customers buying gifts for mothers, partners, sisters, colleagues and friends.
Gen Z shoppers emerged as the most engaged demographic group during the period, driving a 14 per cent year-on-year increase in activity across fashion and lifestyle categories. The company said this cohort demonstrated a strong inclination toward purposeful purchases, particularly in health and wellness segments.
Search trends indicated rising interest in products addressing specific concerns such as hair fall, skin pigmentation, stress management, sleep and PCOS-friendly fitness. Categories linked to self-care and wellness — including protein supplements, vitamins, period-care products and grooming devices — registered significant growth. Beauty products such as facewash, face creams and sunscreens also saw increased demand.
Quick commerce also played a growing role in occasion-driven purchases. Flipkart said its rapid delivery service, Flipkart Minutes, recorded more than five-fold year-on-year growth during the Women’s Day sale period. Searches on the platform increased by nearly 12 per cent, while curated International Women’s Day storefronts attracted higher engagement compared with regular browsing.
Among quick-commerce purchases, everyday items and small gifts such as greeting cards, plant saplings, rings, handbags, bracelets and belts recorded the highest traction. Hyderabad emerged as the city with the largest number of Women’s Day-related orders on the service.
Metro cities including Ahmedabad, Chennai and Chandigarh led the demand across the main platform, while Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets such as Jamshedpur, Dehradun, Coimbatore, Ranchi, Nashik, Agra, Durgapur and Bhubaneswar also registered strong participation.
Flipkart said the expanding geographic spread of orders highlights the growing adoption of ecommerce in emerging markets and the increasing role of digital platforms in enabling consumers to discover and purchase occasion-led products.
