A Redseer consulting firm study reveals that India's digital commerce patterns are gradually shifting away from heavy dependence on festival seasons, though smartphones and electronic devices remain the primary drivers of the September-October shopping surge.

The country's e-commerce sector is moving toward more evenly distributed consumer demand throughout the year, yet mobile phones and electronic products continue to control festive season purchasing patterns.

Redseer noted that smartphones exhibit the most significant seasonal variation with a Seasonality Index Difference of 1.7, while electronic products show a difference of 1.3. Both categories experience sharp increases during September-October, with smartphones achieving a monthly index of approximately 2.3 and electronics approaching 2.0. This substantial dependence on festival periods demonstrates that demand for these products remains highly concentrated during specific times.

Also Read: PhonePe Partners With Mastercard to Launch Device Tokenization

The report recommended that companies should work toward decreasing their dependence on festive season sales by introducing unique products or special promotional campaigns during quieter months, particularly in the first quarter of the year.

Conversely, grocery items and beauty and personal care products emerged as the most consistent categories, demonstrating steady and repeated consumer demand across all months. These segments showed minimal fluctuation compared to other sectors, which is typical of affordable, frequently purchased goods.

Also Read: Government Probes E-Commerce Charging Extra on COD Orders

Home furnishing and fashion products were categorized as moderately seasonal, displaying noticeable yet less pronounced festival-related sales increases.

According to Redseer, India's e-commerce sector is gradually smoothing out its conventional holiday shopping patterns, with market dominance going to companies that can maintain expansion through effective peak period management and generating consumer interest during slower periods.

The consulting firm emphasized that the key strategy involves smoothing out demand fluctuations as much as feasible, though the methodology should be tailored to each sector's natural unpredictability. Online platforms need to capitalize on the consistency of essential product categories to maintain steady user engagement and minimize the operational challenges associated with concentrated high-demand periods.

Also Read: Eyes Watching You From The Clouds

Redseer noted that successful companies will be those capable of transforming seasonal patterns by stimulating purchases during typically quiet periods, maintaining customer involvement in steady market segments, and handling holiday rush periods seamlessly.