Online stores that began preparing eight to 21 days before Diwali recorded 19.2 per cent order growth, while 78 per cent of the stores analysed showed no detectable festive preparation
Indian ecommerce stores that showed no detectable signs of preparation ahead of Diwali 2025 recorded a 13.1 per cent decline in orders, while those that began making changes eight to 21 days before the festival reported the strongest growth, at 19.2 per cent, according to a study by web hosting company Hostinger.
The study, part of Hostinger’s research on online store performance during major shopping events, analysed 6,910 Indian ecommerce stores during Diwali 2025. It compared their October orders with their average order volumes between July and September to examine the association between festive preparation and order performance.
Only 22 per cent of the stores analysed showed detectable preparation activity before Diwali, while the remaining 78 per cent had no such activity identified. Among stores that skipped preparation, 53 per cent recorded order declines exceeding 20 per cent.
The analysis tracked commercial changes such as product updates, discounts, coupon offers and modifications to payment options. However, technical improvements related to hosting, server infrastructure and website speed were excluded.
Stores Preparing Two To Three Weeks Ahead Recorded Strongest Growth
The study found that order performance varied according to when stores first showed signs of festive preparation. Businesses that began making changes eight to 21 days before Diwali reported the highest growth, with 55 per cent of stores in this category recording an increase in orders of more than 20 per cent.
In comparison, stores that began preparing 22–35 days before the festival recorded largely unchanged order performance, with growth of 0.5 per cent. Businesses whose first detected preparation activity occurred within the final seven days before Diwali registered a 6.7 per cent increase in orders. However, 24 per cent of these stores experienced declines exceeding 20 per cent.
Stores with no detectable preparation activity fared the worst, with 53 per cent reporting order declines of more than 20 per cent.
“Diwali is one of the biggest moments of the year for Indian online sellers, but it takes more than festive discounts to make the most of it,” said Justinas Vaičiulis, product marketing lead at Hostinger.
He added that businesses need to make it easier for shoppers to discover products, understand promotional offers and complete purchases, rather than relying solely on discounts to attract customers.
Study Highlights Gaps In Festive Readiness
The India findings form part of a broader Hostinger research project covering around 50,000 online stores globally during Black Friday 2025.
For the Indian market, the company classified stores into four groups based on when their earliest detectable preparation activity occurred: 22–35 days before Diwali, eight to 21 days before the festival, one to seven days before the occasion, and no detected activity.
Hostinger cautioned that the results establish an association between visible commercial preparation and order performance, but do not prove that preparation directly caused the increase in orders. The categories reflect when activity was first detected and should not be treated as a fixed preparation timeline applicable to every online retailer.
