India's festive online retail landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with everyday essentials and personal care products increasingly capturing a larger share of consumer spending. Despite the highly anticipated launch of premium devices like the Apple iPhone 18 Pro, a new report from Redseer Strategy Consultants indicates that categories such as grocery, beauty, and personal care (BPC) are set to dominate festive e-commerce growth this year.
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max went on sale in India on September 18, just ahead of the crucial Navratri-Diwali shopping period. While demand for these new smartphones remains strong, their overall contribution to festive online sales is projected to moderate as consumers diversify their digital spending.
Mobiles and Electronics See Share Decline
According to Redseer, the share of mobile phones in festive online retail is expected to decrease from 33% in 2025 to 29% in 2026. Similarly, electronics are projected to see a slight dip from 18% to 17% of the total festive online market. Combined, these two categories are anticipated to account for less than half of all festive online retail this year.
This shift isn't necessarily a sign of weak demand for tech products, but rather a reflection of rising prices, which may temper sales volumes, and the broader integration of online shopping into daily consumption patterns. As e-commerce platforms expand their offerings, more consumers are turning to digital channels for a wider array of goods.
Grocery and BPC Drive New Growth
The biggest beneficiaries of this evolving trend are expected to be the grocery and beauty and personal care segments. Redseer forecasts an impressive 48–50% year-on-year growth for online grocery during the 2026 festive period. Beauty and personal care is projected to expand by 35–40%, while home and furniture categories could see growth of 32–35%.
In contrast, fashion is expected to grow by 20–22%, electronics by 15–17%, and mobiles by just 5–7%. This strong momentum in everyday categories leading up to the festive season is anticipated to carry through the entire shopping window, reshaping the traditional festive shopping basket.
“The stronger momentum in grocery, BPC, home and furniture and general merchandise before the festive period is expected to carry into the festive window,” stated the Redseer report.
Overall E-commerce Market Set for Strongest Growth in Five Years
Despite the changing category dynamics, the broader festive e-commerce market is poised for robust expansion. Redseer projects an overall growth of approximately 25% in 2026, marking the strongest festive growth in roughly five years. The consultancy estimates that the gross merchandise value (GMV) could reach $15–16 billion, up from around $12.5 billion in 2025.
The number of online festive shoppers is also expected to increase significantly, rising to 180–185 million from 160 million last year. Additionally, quick commerce and value commerce models are anticipated to play a larger role, with quick commerce projected to grow 110–120% and value commerce by 25–30% during the festive period.
This trend highlights a maturing e-commerce market in India, one that is becoming less reliant on big-ticket electronics purchases and increasingly driven by the daily needs and lifestyle choices of a growing online consumer base.