05 October | Gurugram: The mood in smaller cities and towns across Bharat is upbeat and very different from the last two years of pandemic-impacted festivities. These are the findings from the first sale of this festive season by Snapdeal, India’s leading value-focused platform, which draws more than 85% of its business from buyers living outside the metro cities of India, with a vast majority living in smaller towns & cities of India.
While the fashion category over the last two years was dominated by casual and comfort wear for home and athleisure wear, festive shoppers this season are focused on ethnic tunic tops, sarees with embellishments, dress materials, shapewear for women and party wear shirts for men.
In terms of fashion accessories, earrings, pendants, mangalsutras and religious-themed jewellery have been the gainers this festive season. For men, wallets, belts and sunglasses were the top fashion accessories during the season’s first sale.
Buyers from Tier 2, 3 & 4 cities showed an increased appetite for beauty and personal care products, with various products in the category showing 3X growth compared to the previous year. Items like face serums, contour kits, hair colouring sets, shape firming Lotions, BB & CC creams, nail art & accessories were popular purchases by buyers in smaller cities.
The home category shows the most visible shift in consumer sentiment, with buyers looking beyond just utilitarian products like bed sheets, towels, pressure cookers and kitchen containers to more indulgent items such as fragrances & diffusers, wind chimes, photo frames, table mats, decorative mirrors, pots & planters etc. The purchases for the kitchen also captured a similar mood of the consumers with bar sets, glass serveware, blow torches and sprout makers selling more than in the previous seasons.
Sale trends on Snapdeal also showed customers spending on their travel preparations. Travel cushions and pillows grew 4X from last year, backpacks grew 2X and other travel accessories like duffle bags, passport holders, car mobile chargers, riding goggles and bike lighting accessories also showed significant increase in consumer spending.
“Users are feeling upbeat this year and the same is reflected in what users are browsing and buying. Shoppers are taking advantage of the sale offers to indulge themselves and are buying to fulfill their aspirations and not just to meet their needs. Across fashion, home and beauty & personal care, we are witnessing users spend to upgrade their homes, look and feel better about themselves, and choose gifts for their loved ones. We are privileged to be the platform that is enabling value-savvy buyers to make the best use of their festive spends”, added Snapdeal spokesperson.
Other popular picks in Snapdeal’s Diwali sale are men’s & women’s sportswear, and gifting items like men’s watches, beauty gift sets, and toys for kids have also increased. With the onset of the winter season, sellers & buyers have already started prepping for the season. Upcoming sales in the following weeks will have a vast selection of winter items including items like jackets, sweaters, and home items like blankets and comforters.
In the first leg of the sale, 80% of the orders were placed via the Snapdeal app, an increase from 76% in the comparable sale period last year. Snapdeal’s connect with value-savvy buyers was evident from the fact that 78% of the sale volume was driven by repeat buyers.
While Snapdeal has a long-standing, deep connect with sellers throughout the country, including in Tier 2 & 3 cities, the festive season saw sellers from still smaller cities participate actively in the sale, including from towns like Upleta (Gujarat), Nuapatna (Orissa), Gonda (Uttar Pradesh), Taliparamba (Kerala), Motipur (Bihar), Sunam (Punjab), Bicholim (Goa), Nelamangala (Karnataka), Kangeyam (Tamil Nadu), Dhule (Maharashtra), Naihati (West Bengal) and others.
