91% Indians To Shop This Festive Season As Budgets Surge By 77%: Report

As India approaches its vibrant festive season, Glance unveiled a comprehensive report, 'The Marketer’s Guide to India’s Festive Season', aimed at helping marketers and advertisers understand shifting consumer behaviours and shopping trends. The report offers data-driven insights based on a survey of Indian mobile users, offering immense opportunities for brands to connect with consumers during the high-spending festive period.

According to the report, 91 per cent of respondents plan to make purchases in the upcoming months, with 77 per cent indicating an increase in their festive shopping budgets compared to last year. 25 per cent of respondents are prepared to spend over Rs 50,000, highlighting a growing appetite for higher-value purchases.

Mobile Domination
With mobile phones playing a central role in consumer life, it's no surprise that mobile remains the preferred shopping platform. The report reveals that 43 per cent of respondents intend to shop via mobile devices multiple times a week during the festive season, with 11 per cent planning to make daily purchases. Moreover, 85 per cent of survey participants plan to use shopping apps this year, up from 78 per cent in 2023. The top online shopping categories include clothing and accessories (87 per cent), confectionery gift packs (64 per cent), beauty products (61 per cent), home décor (56 per cent) and gadgets (53 per cent).

Hybrid & Offline Shopping Retain Their Importance
While online shopping has become a dominant force, traditional in-store and hybrid shopping experiences remain popular among Indian consumers. 13 per cent of respondents expressed a preference for exclusive in-store shopping while 50 per cent favour a hybrid approach, combining both online and offline shopping experiences. This marks a slight dip from last year’s 54 per cent but it still signals a robust demand for tangible, in-person shopping. The most popular offline shopping categories include jewellery (67 per cent), clothing and accessories (63 per cent) and home appliances (44 per cent).

Vasuta Agarwal, Chief Business Officer, InMobi said, “Glance’s strength lies in its ability to engage users directly from the lock screen, with 50 per cent of our users accessing ecommerce apps, and nearly 30 per cent Glance users turning to quick commerce apps daily. This makes the lock screen a powerful platform, offering brands a unique opportunity to provide direct product visibility, engage high-intent audiences, and drive seamless conversions—all without the user even unlocking their phone.”

“Our report provides valuable insights into creating impactful, hyper-personalised campaigns across multiple platforms and touchpoints, with a special focus on Glance’s Smart Lock Screen, helping brands connect with consumers from their first mobile interaction,” she added.

Consumer Personas
To further assist marketers, the report identified three distinct buyer personas that reflect varying consumer mindsets during the festive season:

• Experience Seekers: These consumers prioritise social connections and curated experiences, with 50 per cent drawn to themed dining events and 37 per cent interested in exclusive in-store activities.
• Convenience-Savvy Consumers: Focused on efficiency, 48 per cent of this group rely on quick-commerce platforms for last-minute purchases.
• Traditional Enthusiasts: Driven by culture and rituals, 60 per cent of these individuals plan to engage in home cleaning and decoration during the festive period, reinforcing the importance of cultural touchpoints in marketing.

Other Key Insights
The report also reveals several key insights into consumer behaviour during this festive period. Among the top mobile apps used by consumers are ecommerce platforms, music streaming services and OTT apps, reflecting digital habits that shape festive shopping. When it comes to shopping influences, 33 per cent of consumers are drawn to new trends and unique experiences while 13 per cent are inspired by celebrities and influencers.

Traditional celebrations are making a comeback, with 45 per cent of respondents planning to host home gatherings. Discounts continue to play a pivotal role, with 78 per cent of consumers motivated by festive offers and 61 per cent of purchases influenced by flash sales and cashback offers. Dining trends show 55 per cent of respondents preferring to dine out, with a particular interest in themed dining experiences, a choice favoured by 65 per cent. Retail preferences lean toward multi-brand stores and malls (72 per cent) and supermarkets (70 per cent), with approximately 40 per cent of consumers seeking unique in-store products and a superior shopping experience, emphasising the importance of retail variety and experiential elements in festive shopping.