Comfort over style: 52% of young Indians prioritise ease when buying festive footwear, study finds

Comfort is emerging as the biggest consideration for young Indian shoppers buying festive footwear, with price, durability and convenience also shaping purchase decisions, according to a new study commissioned by Paragon Footwear.

The study, titled The Sole Story of Festive India, found that 51.7% of respondents identified comfort as a key consideration when choosing festive footwear. Nearly six in 10 shoppers, or 58.1%, plan to spend less than Rs 2,000 on their purchases.

Conducted by PulseAI Research among 2,000 Indian shoppers, the survey examined festive footwear preferences, spending plans and shopping habits across age groups and city categories. Traditional designs continue to attract buyers, with ethnic footwear emerging as the most preferred festive option. However, the findings suggest consumers are increasingly looking for products that combine occasion-specific styling with comfort and everyday usability.


Ethnic footwear remains the top choice

Ethnic footwear accounted for 30.3% of festive footwear preferences, followed by heels and wedges at 25.1% and sandals at 15.8%. The preference for traditional designs was stronger among trend-conscious shoppers, rising to 38%. This suggests ethnic footwear continues to hold its appeal even as consumers seek styles that suit changing fashion preferences.

City-wise preferences also showed differences. Metro shoppers were 1.8 times more likely than consumers in Tier 3 cities to choose ethnic footwear. The preference stood at 34.5% among metro shoppers, compared with 19.2% in Tier 3 markets. Sneakers, meanwhile, were more popular in smaller cities. Their preference share rose from 11% in metros to 21.5% in Tier 3 markets.

Most shoppers plan to spend below Rs 2,000

Festive footwear buyers remain cautious about spending despite the wider interest in seasonal shopping. Around 58.1% of respondents plan to spend less than Rs 2,000, with the Rs 1,000-2,000 bracket attracting the largest share of shoppers. Consumers in Tier 3 cities were 1.7 times more likely than metro shoppers to keep their spending below Rs 1,000.

Higher spending does not necessarily mean buyers are ignoring value. Among respondents aged 26-30, 20.5% planned to spend between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000. At the same time, 32.3% in this age group said rising prices significantly influenced their festive shopping plans.

Durability is another consideration for older shoppers. Among those aged 26-30, 27.9% prioritised durability, while 54.6% focused on comfort.

Online and offline shopping go hand in hand

Discounts remain an important reason for festive purchases, with 31.9% of respondents identifying deals and offers as their primary shopping trigger. However, discounts are not the only factor influencing where consumers buy footwear. About 33.5% said the overall shopping experience determined their channel choice, compared with 25.9% who prioritised better discounts.

The survey found that 57.6% of shoppers expected online and offline channels to play an equal role in their festive footwear purchases. Metro consumers showed a stronger preference for using both channels, while shoppers in Tier 3 cities were 1.3 times more likely than their metro counterparts to shop exclusively online.

Footwear competes for festive spending

Despite strong interest in festive shopping overall, footwear is not a priority for every consumer. The study found that nearly nine in 10 high-intent footwear shoppers planned to participate in the wider festive season, but only 46.2% included footwear among the categories they were likely to purchase.

The study was based on an online quantitative survey of 2,000 Indian shoppers across multiple age groups, genders and city tiers. It was commissioned by Paragon Footwear and conducted by PulseAI Research.