Flipkart’s Big Billion Days opens with 6.3 million concurrent users, new shoppers surge 34%

Flipkart ’s 13th edition of The Big Billion Days (TBBD) sale has kicked off the festive shopping season with a record opening, attracting 6.3 million concurrent users in a minute during the first hour and more than six times the usual hourly shopper traffic.

The e-commerce platform said new customer additions grew 34% during the opening hour, while the sale’s Early Access phase, which began at midnight on October 8 for Flipkart Plus, Black and co-branded card members, recorded more than 287 million sessions.

Nearly one in every 15 Indian online shoppers visited Flipkart during the first hour, with demand spanning smartphones, electronics, large appliances, beauty, lifestyle, and home products.

Smaller towns drive festive demand

Customers from Tier 3 towns and beyond accounted for nearly half of the visits during the opening hour while non-metro markets contributed around 60% of demand. Sardulgarh, Panskura, Sheikhpura, and Kishanganj were among the fastest-growing markets, according to the company.

Affordability continued to shape buying decisions in the smartphone category, with one in four customers opting for product exchange and one in three choosing no-cost EMI. Entry-level 5G smartphones, offered at last year’s prices, also recorded strong demand.

Large appliances grew 30% year-on-year in the first hour, led by air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines. Tablet sales rose 73%, while beauty grew 42%, driven by demand for men’s grooming and self-care products. At peak, Flipkart sold more than 1,600 units of men’s perfume every minute.

Quick commerce and content-led shopping gain traction

Flipkart Minutes, the company’s quick-commerce service, recorded a 3.5-fold increase in order volumes compared with regular days, while new customer additions rose 11-fold during the first hour. Demand extended beyond daily essentials to premium electronics, grooming products and wearables, with Tier 2 and smaller cities emerging as fast-growing markets.

During Early Access, an iPhone 17 was delivered to a customer in New Delhi in 3.4 minutes through Flipkart Minutes. Air fryers, laptops and external hard drives were among the other popular purchases.

Content-led discovery also contributed to engagement. More than 1,000 hours of live commerce and over 500,000 short-form videos attracted 12.7 million users to Flipkart’s video and live-shopping experiences.

Voice search gained traction beyond metros, with around 64% of users coming from Tier 2 markets and beyond. Lifestyle and makeup products were among the most-searched categories.

Gen Z shoppers showed a stronger preference for self-care and personal style. Beauty purchases grew 48% and watches 42% among younger consumers, while sneakers, perfumes, skincare products, creatine and jeans featured among the most-searched items across fashion and personal care.

Sellers and MSMEs see early growth

The festive sale also generated early momentum for Flipkart’s seller ecosystem. On the Early Access day, 51% of transacting sellers recorded twice their regular-day business, the company said.

Sellers in Tier 2 markets and beyond, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), recorded 2.9-fold growth. Bhiwandi, Panipat, Tirupur and Hisar were among the markets leading the surge.

The opening figures point to the growing role of smaller cities in India’s online festive spending, with demand spanning premium electronics, personal care and everyday products, alongside a continued focus on affordability.