Festive shopping ahead of Dhanteras has turned into a full-blown boom, with e-commerce and quick-commerce platforms reporting sharp surges across categories. From precious metals to fashion jewellery and electric two-wheelers, shoppers are buying with enthusiasm, and the festive season is once again proving to be the busiest and most important period of the year for retailers and platforms alike.
The standout numbers come from quick commerce. Instamart reported gold sales up 258 per cent, while silver purchases rose 185 per cent, a striking indication of how strongly precious metals feature in festive buying. Gold and silver have long held a special place in Dhanteras shopping, when buying the metals is considered auspicious, and this year shoppers appear to be embracing that tradition through the convenience of quick delivery as well as through traditional stores.
Amazon India has reported its own festive surge. Fashion jewellery shoppers on the platform are up over 50 per cent year-on-year, reflecting a growing appetite for jewellery that combines festive sparkle with everyday wearability. Fashion jewellery has become a major festive category in its own right, appealing to shoppers who want the look and feel of celebration without necessarily committing to the price of fine jewellery.
The electric mobility story is equally dramatic. Electric two-wheeler sales on Amazon are up eightfold, a surge that points to how far electric vehicles have moved into the mainstream of festive buying. What was once a niche purchase is now being considered by a much wider set of buyers, and the festive season, with its offers and its tradition of big-ticket purchases, appears to be accelerating that shift.
One of the most notable features of this festive surge is its geography. Festive shopping is spreading beyond the metros into smaller cities, a trend that platforms have been watching for several years and that now appears to be firmly established. Shoppers in smaller towns and cities are buying online in growing numbers, drawn by wider choice, competitive prices and the convenience of delivery to their doorstep.
This spread beyond the metros matters for the future of Indian retail. Smaller cities represent a vast and still-growing market, and their participation in festive shopping at this scale suggests that e-commerce and quick commerce are no longer primarily a big-city phenomenon. For brands and platforms, reaching these shoppers effectively has become as important as serving the established metro markets.
The breadth of the boom is also worth noting. It is not confined to a single category. Gold and silver are surging, fashion jewellery is growing strongly, and electric two-wheelers are multiplying their sales. That spread across categories suggests a broad-based festive mood rather than a one-off spike in a single product line, and it reflects the way Dhanteras shopping touches many parts of household spending at once.
Quick commerce has played a particular role in this year’s surge. The ability to order gold and silver and have them delivered quickly fits naturally with last-minute festive buying, when shoppers may decide late or need a gift at short notice. That convenience, combined with the traditional significance of the metals, appears to be a powerful combination.
For retailers, the festive season ahead of Dhanteras remains the ultimate test of preparation: stock, delivery, offers and service all come under pressure at once. The numbers reported so far suggest that demand is not in short supply. The challenge now is to carry that momentum through the rest of the festive period and to serve a customer base that is larger, more spread out and more digitally confident than ever before.
