From lehengas to lipsticks: Navratri orders surge 25% YoY, Agarbatti orders jump 44%
Accessories also stood out as a youth-driven trend, with bracelets topping the list of best-selling Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) across categories.
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Beauty and personal care products edged past fashion and apparel to emerge as the top driver of festive eCommerce this Navratri, according to a report by eCommerce enabler GoKwik. Beauty contributed 27.8% of overall orders, marginally ahead of fashion at 27.73%. Together, the two categories accounted for nearly half of all festive revenue, underscoring their central role in India’s festive shopping boom.
Overall, festive-led direct-to-consumer (D2C) commerce grew 25% year-on-year, reflecting strong demand momentum. Accessories also stood out as a youth-driven trend, with bracelets topping the list of best-selling Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) across categories. Seasonal essentials like agarbattis saw a 44% spike in orders during the Navratri week.
Consumers also displayed a strong appetite for premiumisation. Average order values climbed 18% across categories, led by a 20% jump in jewellery and 17% in fashion. Beauty care kits, traditional lehenga cholis, gift hampers, and children’s outfits were among the most popular products in festive carts.
“Indian festivals are massive economic engines, with Navratri leading up to Diwali at the front. For merchants, the festive season is no longer just a spike-it is a strategic opportunity to build deeper consumer confidence and capture long-term growth. This year, we are seeing higher prepaid adoption and lower cancellations, demonstrating greater trust in D2C brands,” said Chirag Taneja, Co-founder & CEO of GoKwik.
Operationally, the ecosystem showed signs of maturity. Cancellations fell by 3.8 percentage points compared with last year, while prepaid orders gained traction across metros. Bengaluru led the shift, with prepaid adoption climbing to 64% from 54% a year earlier. Similar gains were recorded in Mumbai, Pune, and Hyderabad.
Geographically, Western and Southern India drove festive growth, with Maharashtra and Karnataka emerging as top-performing states. Metros collectively grew by 44%, well above the national average of 25%.
