Over 15 million traditional “Kirana” stores exist in India, accounting for 88 percent of the retail industry. Storekeepers have long-standing connections with their customers and a thorough understanding of their preferences and requirements, thanks to consumers frequenting these stores regularly for their daily needs. In India, consumers are no longer solely concerned with the product. They value connections and community in order to make purchase decisions. In addition, authenticity becomes increasingly crucial as more consumers support local companies and sustainable products.
With growing digital use, the e-commerce market was already on the rise, with the pandemic hastened its expansion. Because of the lockdown, Indians were pushed online to buy products even for their day-to-day needs. Therefore, after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, several barriers to online purchases had been eliminated resulting in significantly faster adoption of digital payments.
Online shopping is preferred by consumers during the festive season because it is time-saving, and more convenient than visiting a store. Between October and December in recent years, the two annual sales that took center stage belonged to Flipkart’s Big Billion Days, and Amazon India’s Great Indian Festival Sale. This was largely anticipated to remain unchanged in 2022 as well.
Trends in shopping behavior
Consumers’ attitudes are evolving in India because of increased earnings and exposure to new ideas and technologies. However, most shoppers prefer a combination of both online and in-store shopping. Consumers are more driven toward information-centered shopping, purchasing products to keep up with current trends, up-taking time-saving services, and increase in demand for customized products. Moreover, consumer behavior is influenced by the perceived value of money. Even for luxury products, Indian consumers are well informed and seek to obtain a reasonable value. The most popular shopping categories among Indian consumers are electronics, apparel, and footwear.With growing digital use, the e-commerce market was already on the rise, with the pandemic hastened its expansion. Because of the lockdown, Indians were pushed online to buy products even for their day-to-day needs. Therefore, after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, several barriers to online purchases had been eliminated resulting in significantly faster adoption of digital payments.
The impact of festival shopping
The month of October, November, and December are the busiest shopping months in India due to the major festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra, Navratri, Dhanteras, and Christmas. Shoppers believe this is an auspicious time to buy, and sellers respond by giving huge discounts and best deals during this season. About 53 percent of consumers prefer to shop for personal use and gifting mainly through online shopping websites and apps.Online shopping is preferred by consumers during the festive season because it is time-saving, and more convenient than visiting a store. Between October and December in recent years, the two annual sales that took center stage belonged to Flipkart’s Big Billion Days, and Amazon India’s Great Indian Festival Sale. This was largely anticipated to remain unchanged in 2022 as well.
