Quick commerce and tier 1 and 2 cities drive India’s festive ecommerce growth during Diwali 2025
India’s ecommerce sector recorded a 24 per cent year-on-year rise in order volumes and a 23 per cent increase in gross merchandise value (GMV) during the 2025 Diwali festive season, according to Unicommerce.
The insights are based on more than 150 million transactions processed through Unicommerce’s Uniware platform over the 25-day festive period. Tier 1 and 2 cities together accounted for 55 per cent of total orders, reflecting growing digital adoption and purchasing power in smaller towns.
Quick commerce platforms emerged as the fastest-growing segment, registering a 120 per cent increase in order volumes compared to the previous year. Brand websites also saw a significant 33 per cent rise, while marketplaces, which accounted for 38 per cent of all purchases, grew 8 per cent in order volumes.
Regionally, tier 2 cities led the growth with a 28 per cent YoY increase, followed by tier 1 cities and metros at 24 per cent, and tier 3 towns at 23 per cent.
Top-performing categories included FMCG, particularly fusion sweets, dry fruit combos, and millet-based snacks, along with home decor and furniture, beauty and wellness products, and health and pharma items.
Prepaid orders grew 26 per cent, indicating higher consumer adoption of digital payments, while Cash-on-delivery (COD) orders rose 22 per cent in volume and 35 per cent in GMV, suggesting increased consumer confidence in higher-value COD purchases.
Ecommerce logistics also improved, with average delivery times falling 15 per cent compared to last year, according to Unicommerce’s Shipway platform. The data points to enhanced supply chain efficiency, better demand forecasting, and faster last-mile delivery during peak festive demand.
