Indian Festive E-Commerce Sales Muted Amid Consumer Spending Caution

23 Oct 2026, 7:57 pm · 2h ago · 1 min read · Inc42New

India’s online festive sales recorded mixed trends during the first leg from October 8 to 18. According to Redseer, online sales clocked $7-8 billion in gross merchandise value across nearly 100 million shoppers. However, Datum Intelligence reported sales between ₹29,800 crore and ₹30,900 crore, representing a 7-10% year-on-year drop from ₹33,200 crore. Card spending declined 12-15% annually, while a LocalCircles survey projected urban festive discretionary spending to fall 6% to ₹1.97 lakh crore. Retailers faced tightening household budgets, reduced discounts, and cautious consumer sentiment toward big-ticket purchases.