E-commerce platforms log record festive demand as Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho sales kick off

India’s festive online shopping season is off to a record-breaking start, with Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho reporting unprecedented user traffic, rising demand from smaller towns, and strong sales across categories from electronics and appliances to fashion and beauty.

Amazon’s Great Indian Festival 2025 saw over 38 crore customer visits within the first two days - its highest ever - with more than 70% of shoppers coming from beyond the top nine metros. “The first 48 hours have been our biggest ever, with an unprecedented 38 crore customer visits and the highest number of Prime members shopping during Prime Early Access,” said Saurabh Srivastava, vice president, Amazon India. The platform offered access to over 30,000 new product launches and 1 lakh products at lowest prices, while sellers passed on GST benefits worth crores through its #GSTBachatUtsav storefront.

The impact of GST 2.0 reforms is visible in sales trends. Premium appliances such as air conditioners and dishwashers posted double-digit year-on-year growth, inverter batteries grew 2X, and eco-friendly kitchen appliances rose 50%. Grocery essentials like beverages and cereals were up 15%, while D2C protein foods surged 27%. Demand for premium products also accelerated: smartphones above ₹20,000 grew 50%, QLED TVs rose 23%, Mini-LED TVs 27%, and premium luggage jumped 94%. 

Meanwhile, lab-grown diamonds grew 10X, and precious jewellery and silver coins surged 4.5Xyear-on-year, said the company.

Prime members drove rapid delivery growth, with over 30 lakh products delivered in metros within 24 hours and 50 lakh in tier-2 and -3 cities within two days. Seller participation was also the highest ever, with over 16,000 SMBs tripling their sales and more than two-thirds of sellers hailing from smaller cities.

Flipkart’s Big Billion Days 2025 also reported a strong start, with 21% growth in user visits in the first 48 hours compared to last year, fuelled in part by GST 2.0 reforms.

The company said demand for premium products such as mobiles, TVs, and refrigerators rose nearly 26% year-on-year, while home appliances that benefited from GST rate cuts, including premium TVs (above 32 inches), air conditioners, and dishwashers, saw demand jump 3–4X compared to the pre-GST period.

“Shoppers who had been holding back purchases are now returning with confidence. Early trends already reflect a double-digit surge in demand. The sentiment among customers has been overwhelmingly positive - GST 2.0 is being perceived as more than a tax reform. It's a confidence booster for households preparing for festive shopping. Building on this optimism, we have set an ambitious goal of serving every Indian household during The Big Billion Days,” said Pratik Shetty, vice president, Growth & Marketing, Flipkart.

Participation from beyond metros has been strong, with cities like Indore, Surat, Visakhapatnam and Varanasi joining Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, and Mumbai as major demand hubs.

Flipkart’s quick delivery arm also scaled sharply during the sale. Flipkart Minutes logged over 45 lakh unique visitors and saw a 2X increase in order volumes, with the fastest iPhone delivery completed in under 3 minutes. On the travel side, Cleartrip bookings reflected rising festive mobility, with overall users up 2.2X, flight bookings doubling, and hotel bookings rising 3.5X, led by demand for four- and five-star stays.

Meesho, meanwhile, reported that its Mega Blockbuster Sale 2025 drew nearly 24 crore visitors in just three days, with shoppers placing roughly 29,000 orders every minute across fashion, home and kitchen, beauty, and electronic accessories. A key highlight this year was the sharp rise in prepaid transactions, which climbed around 54% year-on-year, indicating growing digital payment adoption in the country.

Engagement on Meesho’s in-app video feature 'Video Finds' hit apprxoimately 39 crore views, showcasing how content-led discovery is shaping purchase behaviour. 

Much of the buying momentum came from beyond metros, with around 74% of demand originating from tier-2 and smaller towns, reinforcing Meesho’s reach into India’s heartland. Sellers benefited as well — more than 48,000 sellers saw their order volumes double compared to regular business days.

“As the sale continues, we remain committed to uniting consumers, sellers, brands, creators, and logistics partners on one platform and to providing access to a wide and relevant selection of products at affordable prices,” a Meesho spokesperson said.