- Premium, health and wellness products lead the growth charts
TIL Desk Lucknow:👉As the festive season unfolds across India, Amazon India is experiencing a shopping surge in Uttar Pradesh, driven by a blend of tradition and modernity. As the state immerses itself in the celebratory spirit, customers are embracing digital payments while indulging in a unique fusion of handcrafted ethnic wear, gourmet delicacies, wellness products, smartphones, and cutting-edge electronics. This festive shopping renaissance not only underscores the evolving consumer preferences but also reaffirms Amazon’s pivotal role as a catalyst for local economies and a leading marketplace that caters to the diverse needs of Indian shoppers.
Saurabh Srivastava, Vice President – Categories at Amazon India, said, “This festive season, we are witnessing a fascinating interplay of heritage and modernity in shopping patterns across Uttar Pradesh. While customers enthusiastically adopted digital payments, they also embraced their roots with a remarkable 1.5X growth in ethnic wear and 1.7X surge in precious jewelry sales. This cultural renaissance is complemented by a heightened focus on wellness and lifestyle upgrades. We witnessed a 3.5X jump in protein powder sales, a 40% growth in sofa purchases, and a staggering 3X spike in two-wheeler sales in Lucknow alone, reflecting the state’s evolving aspirations. At Amazon, we are proud to foster this festive fervor by curating an extensive selection that caters to the diverse needs of our customers while empowering local entrepreneurs”.
Key insights from the festive season shopping in Uttar Pradesh and Lucknow include:
Accelerated Shift to Digital Payments: During Prime Early Access (PEA), the 24-hour early shopping window for Amazon Prime members, transactions on Amazon Pay from Uttar Pradesh grew 15X with electronics, appliances, furniture, groceries, clothing, footwear, and accessories, toiletries, and household items being the top purchased categories. Customers in UP predominantly preferred the Amazon Pay ICICI Co-branded Credit Card (CBCC) and Amazon Pay Later (APL) as their choices for shopping during the first two days of the Amazon Great Indian Festival 2024.
Cultural Fusion in Fashion: Festive shoppers in Lucknow are opting for handloom and handcrafted details like Chikan embroidery and Kundan jewelry. The highest year-on-year growth in Lucknow has been observed in Precious Jewelry (1.7X), Women’s Ethnic Wear (1.5X), and Luxury Beauty (1.5X), showcasing a surge in both ethnic and premium categories. Whereas, bold and experimental fashion is a key trend among Gen Z in Lucknow, with a focus on mixing traditional styles like sarees with modern twists, including crop tops as blouses and pairing ethnic wear with sneakers.
Growth of Premium Goods and Home Improvement: The increasing demand for luxury and premium products, such as Davidoff coffee, gourmet chocolates, and salon-at-home products, reflects consumers’ growing appetite for indulgence and self-care during the festive period. Additionally, home improvement categories, such as sofas and air conditioners, have seen strong growth, with a 2.5X surge in large appliances in Lucknow, highlighting the growing interest in upgrading living spaces during the festive season.
Rising Wellness Consciousness: With health becoming a central concern for many consumers, Amazon Fresh saw a 3.5X growth in protein powder sales and a 6X increase in multivitamins across Uttar Pradesh. Demand for dietary supplements like Moringa has grown 3X, while breakfast staples like muesli and oats have surged 1.6X.
Electronics and Appliances: Tablets and laptops have seen robust growth, with AI-based laptops witnessing a 17X increase in sales during the Amazon Great Indian Festival. In Lucknow, large appliances like 5-star air conditioners have grown 2.5X YoY. Premium headphones from brands like Apple and Bose saw 2.5X growth, driven by young, aspirational customers. Smartphones under ₹10,000 also remain popular in Lucknow, with Realme emerging as the top brand.