Major e-commerce and quick commerce platforms, including Meesho, Flipkart and Amazon, saw a significant surge in orders during the 2026 Raksha Bandhan season, driven by robust demand from non-metro cities and a growing preference for faster deliveries.
The festive period saw a shift in consumer behaviour, with quick commerce becoming central to last-minute gifting, and tier 3 and 4 towns emerging as primary growth engines.
Meesho recorded a 36 per cent increase in orders and a 38 per cent rise in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), compared to the previous season. The platform noted that approximately 73 per cent of its orders originated from non-metro markets.
“The fastest growth came from tier 3 and tier 4 markets. Interestingly, Dadri, a small industrial town in Uttar Pradesh, led with a 105 per cent YoY growth, followed by Nabarangapur (Odisha), Kasganj, Dhamtari and Nainpur (Madhya Pradesh),” Meesho said in a statement.
The platform also saw a 72 per cent increase in the number of sellers offering Rakhi-related products.
Flipkart's quick commerce arm, Flipkart Minutes, reported a threefold surge in festive shopping. The platform saw peak activity between 4 PM and 10 PM, with over 2,000 Rakhis sold per minute at its peak.
"Gen Z accounted for more than 40 per cent of shoppers, signalling how digital-first younger consumers are rewriting gifting norms," Flipkart said.
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While traditional items remained popular, the platform saw a 3.5 times growth in accessories like fashion brooches and mobile tripods.
Amazon Now highlighted the increasing premiumisation of the festival, as customers moved beyond regular options to more indulgent ones.
“Chocolate gifts were the fastest-growing category, up 2.5x vs BAU (business as usual), while Kaju Katli saw 2x growth vs BAU. On the Rakhi side, customers experimented well beyond tradition – from Meenakari, Kundan and evil eye designs to novelty picks like Hanuman Chalisa Rakhis, pet Rakhis and colouring-book Rakhis for kids. The standout, though, was the response to our first-ever NFC Rakhi, where customers could tap the Rakhi to add a personalised message along with memories of their sibling, including photos, videos and more,” Nishant Sardana, Director – Amazon Now, said.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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