From fashion to astrology, early-festive demand fuels 16% growth: GoKwik

Indian shoppers are preparing their festive baskets earlier than usual this year, resulting in a 16% year-on-year increase in order volumes for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands on GoKwik’s platform during the pre-festive period.

The company which works with over 12,000 brands and 165 million shoppers, said the shift is due to consumers trying to beat last-minute supply bottlenecks and secure early discounts. Fashion and apparel dominated sales, representing 31% of total volumes, followed by beauty and personal care at 22% and health and wellness at 14%.

“The early-festive period is proving to be a litmus test for D2C resilience. Brands that prepared with better address hygiene and proactive customer engagement have seen improved delivery outcomes,” said Chirag Taneja, co-founder and chief executive officer of GoKwik


Besides the standard categories, a few unusual categories, such as astrology also emerged. Astrological products posted the highest average order value at Rs5,042 per purchase. In contrast, spiritual products such as rudraksha beads, yantras, deities, spiritual jewellery, and other pooja items joined mainstream online carts alongside fashion and beauty, highlighting changing consumer preferences.

The growth was not limited to category expansion. About nine brands reported more than 100% year-on-year volume growth, suggesting breakouts in niche segments.

Bengaluru recorded the highest order volumes, followed by Pune and Mumbai suburban areas. Rangareddy district in Telangana entered the top 10 locations for the first time, pointing to D2C adoption outside traditional metro hubs.

Merchants also reported sharper supply-chain performance. Return-to-origin (RTO) rates – a key metric for failed deliveries – declined across major categories. Electronics improved from 31.5% to 27%, while footwear fell from 37% to 27.9%.

One of the most marked changes was in payment choices. Prepaid orders surged across 15 of 18 categories. In fashion and apparel, prepaid adoption rose from 30.4% to 48.7%. Beauty and personal care climbed from 38.7% to 55.5%, while electronics increased from 56.6% to 64.1%.

Across categories, prepaid penetration rose by an average of 11.9 percentage points. GoKwik attributed the trend to cleaner data, stricter courier orchestration, and stronger buyer communication ahead of the peak festive quarter.

India’s D2C sector, valued at over $20 billion, has been one of the fastest-growing segments of online commerce. It is driven by younger shoppers, rising disposable incomes, and brand willingness to bypass marketplaces. Analysts say early festive demand often sets the tone for quarterly growth and brand profitability.