As India's festive season progressed, Criteo shared insights on online retail sales, traffic, consumer behaviour and preferences during Diwali 2024. This year’s Diwali saw notable growth and heightened consumer intent with strong boosts across multiple retail categories, especially consumer electronics and fashion, maintaining high engagement throughout October.
Criteo’s analysis of Indian shoppers’ online activity during the peak Diwali week (October 25-31) revealed a gradual purchasing journey with an average of 15 days from the first product view to purchase completion. The most intentional shoppers took over six weeks to finalise their buys, emphasising a thoughtful selection process during this festive period.
Online retail sales during the two-week lead-up to Diwali in 2024 showed 14 per cent year-over-year growth, stressing the holiday's importance in India’s retail landscape. Fashion saw 42 per cent increase in sales, followed by Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) at 13 per cent, reflecting high consumer interest in festive essentials.
In the peak period (October 18-31, 2024), sales surged in categories like Home & Garden, Apparel and Health & Beauty, showcasing how festive decor and personal style complement Diwali’s celebratory spirit. In-Home & Garden, items like light ropes and strings rose by 204 per cent, candles by 122 per cent and dinnerware by 89 per cent. Apparel showed substantial growth, with coats and jackets sales soaring by 154 per cent, followed by pyjamas at 81 per cent and sarees/lehengas at 78 per cent. Health & Beauty also saw increased demand, with hair styling products up by 61 per cent, nail care by 60 per cent and bath & body kits by 54 per cent.
Medhavi Singh, Country Head - India of Criteo commented on the findings, “With Indian shoppers increasingly exploring and purchasing festive products earlier each year, Criteo’s insights indicate that Diwali is more than just a holiday; it is a defining period for retail growth and customer engagement. To capitalise on this opportunity, businesses should implement a comprehensive commerce media strategy with a full-funnel and omnichannel approach to deliver seamless customer shopping experiences across platforms”.
In October 2024, retail traffic to product description pages rose significantly, up by 42 per cent compared to September. Online sales spiked by 44 per cent on 26 September and maintained a 38 per cent average increase throughout October, with a slight drop on Diwali day (1 November). By category, October sales saw growth, with fashion up by 77 per cent, consumer electronics by 60 per cent and Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) by 15 per cent, highlighting consistent consumer demand across diverse product lines.
Conversion rates also demonstrated strong momentum, especially in fashion, which saw a 20 per cent increase. Consumer Electronics conversion rates peaked on 26 September, with a 45 per cent rise. Cost Per Click (CPC) increased as well, reaching a high of 33 per cent in the final week before Diwali, reflecting intensified competition and greater ad engagement as the holiday drew near.
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