India’s festive shopping season is expected to see a noticeable change in online spending patterns this year. While premium smartphones such as Apple’s latest iPhone 18 Pro series are attracting attention, everyday categories are projected to contribute a larger portion of festive e-commerce sales.
Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale in India on September 18, just ahead of the Navratri-Diwali shopping period. However, a report by Redseer Strategy Consultants indicates that mobiles and electronics could account for a smaller share of festive online retail in 2026, even as the overall e-commerce market continues to expand.
Mobiles and Electronics Expected to Lose Festive Market Share
According to Redseer’s estimates, mobile phones contributed 33% of India’s festive online retail in 2025. That share is expected to decline to 29% in 2026.
Electronics are also projected to see a modest reduction, with their share expected to fall from 18% last year to 17% this year. Combined, mobiles and electronics are therefore likely to contribute less than half of total festive online retail.
Redseer attributed part of the moderation to significant price increases, which are expected to keep sales volumes under pressure. The shift, however, does not necessarily indicate weaker consumer interest in smartphones and electronics. Instead, it reflects the growing contribution of other product categories as online shopping becomes part of routine household consumption.
Grocery and Beauty Categories Set for Strong Growth
Online grocery is expected to be one of the fastest-growing categories during the 2026 festive period. Redseer estimates that grocery could record year-on-year growth of 48–50%.
Beauty and personal care, or BPC, is projected to grow by 35–40%, while the home and furniture segment could expand by 32–35%. Fashion is expected to register growth of 20–22%.
In comparison, online electronics sales are projected to increase by 15–17%, while mobile sales are expected to grow by only 5–7%.
Redseer expects the strong momentum seen in grocery, BPC, home and furniture and general merchandise ahead of the festive season to continue during the main shopping period.
Festive E-Commerce Growth Could Hit Five-Year High
India’s overall festive online retail market is projected to grow by around 25% in 2026. Redseer describes this as the strongest festive growth in approximately five years.
Festive gross merchandise value (GMV) is estimated to reach $15–16 billion, compared with around $12.5 billion in 2025. The number of online festive shoppers is also expected to rise from 160 million last year to around 180–185 million this year.
Quick commerce and value commerce are projected to become increasingly important during the festive period. Redseer expects quick commerce to grow by 110–120%, while value commerce could expand by 25–30%.
The overall trend suggests that India’s festive e-commerce market is becoming more diversified. Instead of relying mainly on high-value purchases such as smartphones and electronics, online festive spending is increasingly being supported by grocery, beauty, home and other everyday categories.
Disclaimer
Market projections and category growth estimates are based on the figures and analysis cited from Redseer Strategy Consultants. Actual festive sales, consumer spending and category performance may differ from these estimates. The information is provided for news and informational purposes and should not be treated as a guarantee of future market performance.