India's Online Festive Sales Rise 17% to Rs 1.41 Lakh Crore in 2026: Report

New Delhi: India's online festive-season sales registered a 17 per cent year-on-year increase in 2026, reaching an estimated Rs 1.41 lakh crore, according to a report by Datum Intelligence.

The report pegged the gross merchandise value (GMV) of online festive sales at Rs 1,40,800 crore over 34 sale days ending November 9. In comparison, online sales stood at Rs 1.2 lakh crore in 2025, when the festive shopping period spanned 30 days.

Quick commerce platforms recorded the strongest growth, with orders surging 75 per cent year-on-year. Brand websites also performed well, reporting growth of 27-30 per cent, while orders placed through online marketplaces increased by 8 per cent.

The report noted a mixed trend in online card transactions. Their number rose 7 per cent during the first 32 sale days, but the total transaction value declined by 6 per cent. The average card payment fell 13 per cent to Rs 5,970 from Rs 6,830 in the corresponding period last year.

Sales momentum picked up towards the end of the festive period. The fourth week and the final four days together recorded 71 per cent growth compared with the corresponding period in 2025.

Smartphones, traditionally one of the biggest contributors to festive e-commerce spending, emerged as a major drag on overall growth. Their share of festive GMV dropped to around 25 per cent in 2026 from 35.2 per cent a year earlier.

Online smartphone sales volumes declined by 25-33 per cent, even as average selling prices increased by 16-19 per cent, partly reflecting higher memory costs. As a result, the value of smartphone sales fell by around 15 per cent.

According to the report, overall festive sales growth could have reached approximately 22 per cent instead of 17 per cent had smartphone sales not contracted.

Meanwhile, major e-commerce platforms reported healthy growth during their respective festive campaigns, although their disclosures covered different periods and performance metrics.

Amazon said its shopping volume had risen by more than 50 per cent by November 3 compared with the previous year's festive season.

Flipkart reported growth of up to 22 per cent in orders, units sold and buyers during its 11-day 'Big Billion Days' sale.

Meesho, meanwhile, recorded a 75 per cent year-on-year increase in orders on the opening day of its Mega Blockbuster Sale, while the number of customers placing orders rose 60 per cent.

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