In e-comm era, local kirana still preferred for Diwali shopping:Velocity MR

This year, as in the case of the last 2-3 years, saw e-commerce players bullish on festive season buying frenzy and spending big monies on advertising their various online sale events. However, this aggressive push notwithstanding, a study conducted by Velocity MR, a leading market research and data analysis company, shows that despite the advances in technology, Indians prefer to stick to tradition when it comes to important festivals like Diwali. According to the study, Indians prefer buying sweets from regular shops than buying it online as 76 per cent buys from regular sweet shops and only 30 per cent buys it online. 

The study, which was carried out in Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Patna, monitored the shifting trends in shopping in the age of the internet and online shopping. The study had a sample size of 2,028 adults in the age group of 25 to 55 years, with a 60:40 split between women and men, respectively. 

Jasal Shah, Managing Director & CEO of Velocity MR, commented, “Diwali is the most celebrated festival in India and is symbolic of Indian culture the world over. This festival brings every Indian back together with their closest family and makes them want to do everything traditional and ritualistic. This is probably the month that results in the maximum shopping as a result in the country with Dussehra and Diwali back to back.” 

Highlights of the Study

• Indians prefer buying sweets from regular shops than buying it online as 76% buys from regular sweet shops and only 30% buys it online
• Diwali means home for India as 82% of people intend to celebrate Diwali at their homes followed by a very small chunk mentioning native place, resorts, etc.
• It seems Diwali brings families together as 92% of the people intend to celebrate Diwali with parents
• 90% of the people exchange sweet boxes during Diwali, followed by chocolates (76%), dry fruits (69%), new clothes (55%)
• 87% of the people buy new clothes during Diwali, followed by purchasing gifts/ decoration items, crackers
• India buys gifts majorly for family members during Diwali as 95% of the people purchase gifts for immediate family. A very smaller group purchases gifts for their work colleagues, charitable organisations and temples
• Office Appliances are the least desired gift for Diwali with only 11% of people looking for it, whereas sweet boxes are the most desired one (78%)
• Happiness is wished as the highest wishes for the upcoming year along with good health
• The top memories been missed the most are bursting crackers, missing friends, having fun, sweets and celebrating with family
• Close to two-third respondents wish there were less noise and firecrackers during Diwali, indicating increasing awareness and concern about sound and air pollution
• 90% of people are aware of the Supreme Court ban on the sale of firecracker in Delhi
• 66% of people are positively supporting the Supreme Court ban on sale of firecrackers as it would be a pollution-free and noise-free Diwali, but 42% feel that kids won’t be able to enjoy the fun of bursting firecrackers, whereas 37% feel Diwali without firecrackers will lose it charm
• Cleaning the house ranks the highest in Diwali preparations, with 92% of the people indulging in it, followed by shopping Diwali grocery (88%), new clothes (86%) and making sweets (85%)