New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) Consumer demand has seen a sharp boost this festive season, with sales rising by 23–25 per cent in the first two days of Navratri compared to last year, according to a report.

The growth, driven by GST-led price cuts and strong festive sentiment, marks one of the strongest starts in recent years, as per the data compiled by market research firm Redseer.

The new GST rates, which came into effect on September 22, have directly lowered the cost of many popular products.

Large-screen TVs, for example, saw GST reduced from 28 per cent to 18 per cent, leading to a 6–8 per cent fall in retail prices.

The report said this move has pushed buyers towards premium models. Fashion items under Rs 2,500 now attract just 5 per cent GST, while furniture has also been shifted to the 5 per cent slab, encouraging more purchases.

Industry experts say that this festive season is different from previous years. Instead of focusing only on discounts, consumers are now making aspirational purchases.

Shoppers in tier-2 and tier-3 cities are also driving growth — reflecting rising confidence and interest in discretionary spending.

E-commerce platforms are reporting record traffic. Amazon said it received over 38 crore customer visits in the first two days of its festive sale, its biggest start ever.

More than 70 per cent of this traffic came from outside India’s top nine metro cities, the report added.

Categories like smartphones, appliances, fashion, and wellness products are seeing strong growth, with premium gadgets such as QLED and Mini-LED TVs, advanced washing machines, and flagship smartphones in high demand.

Small and medium businesses are also benefiting from the sales rush. According to Amazon, more than 16,000 SMBs have tripled their sales compared to a normal day, with much of this momentum coming from non-metro markets.

Redseer noted that demand was so strong on some platforms that apps slowed down or even crashed as users rushed to grab early-bird discounts and flash deals.

Experts believe that the combination of GST 2.0 reforms and festive excitement has given India’s e-commerce market its strongest start in years, signalling a shift towards policy-driven growth in consumer spending.

–IANS

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