Like Black Friday holiday sales events in the U.S., Flipkart’s Big Billion Days (BBD) sale (Sept. 23 – 30) kicks off the holiday shopping season in India. What trends emerged this year, and will these translate to the upcoming shopping bonanza in other markets? Let’s take a look.

More than a billion visits and wider reach for both consumers and sellers

Created by Walmart-owned Flipkart as India’s first mega e-commerce shopping festival, BBD weaves special offers and a festive atmosphere into one of the most anticipated events on the Indian retail calendar. Now in its ninth year, BBD was bigger than ever in 2022: Flipkart clocked over 1 billion customer visits for the first time and served even more people in the remotest parts of the nation.

• While shoppers throughout the U.S. enjoy fast one- or two-day shipping, it is still relatively new in India. Bringing e-commerce beyond the biggest cities has long been a key aim of BBD, with Flipkart expanding the reach of its seller pickup and customer delivery infrastructure to every corner of this vast nation in recent years. This effort has paid off, benefiting customers and sellers in many more regions of India each year. More than 60% of customers in BBD 2022 were from India’s Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities (classified as having populations under 100K), setting a new record for access and inclusion. Artisans and Weavers of Flipkart Samarth, an eCommerce program for rural entrepreneurs, had 400% growth in revenue,
• Growth in the number of first-time sellers was over 100% and more than 50% of the transacting sellers saw an 1.5 times increase in their business. This reinforces the positive economic impact that BBD has on sellers transacting on Flipkart.

High demand for products that make life better

BBD 2022 shoppers were eager for bargains that help make life better. Premium mobile phones, laptops and smartwatches were very popular, especially among students. Mattresses and desks dominated the furniture category, while TVs, washing machines and refrigerators were top-sellers.

Flipkart is also popularizing on-line grocery shopping in India. A lot of new customers tried out ordering groceries online during the sale, with almost three-quarters of deliveries going to smaller cities where online grocery is just beginning to take off.

A focus on purchases that inspire wellness, travel and fun

As in the U.S., health and wellness remain top of mind for many people. BBD 2022 saw strong sales of health foods, vitamins and juicers. Personal grooming products, like electric shavers, were a hit, and a lot of people shopped for beauty products. Almost a quarter of those browsing for makeup tried Flipkart’s new virtual try-on feature. Fashion and lifestyle brands were hot, too, especially in cities outside of the main centers, as people get ready to socialize on upcoming holidays.

Many shoppers also indicated their desire to travel domestically and around Asia in the coming year, with a huge uptick in bookings for flights and luxury hotels, showing that people intend to travel in style. Below are some category highlights from the event:

• Premium mobiles: up 70%
• Large appliances: up 30%
• Furniture: up 35%
• Beauty: up 30%
• Fashion and Lifestyle: up 45%

Solutions that help shoppers save money

Value is always a driver for BBD sales, with shoppers perhaps having extra worries about inflation this year. Four times more people used services like Flipkart Pay Later in 2022, especially for high-value large appliances, furniture and electronics.

After months of preparation and a very busy few days, the Flipkart team had made millions of customers happy and helped new and established sellers build their brands and shine. We are excited to continue to delight customers and elevate local brands in the U.S. as the festive shopping season unfolds in the coming weeks.