Diwali Sale 2026: Buying fridge, AC, or washing machine online? Here’s how to get the best deal on big appliances and save more

Would you order an Rs.80,000 fridge online? Dean D’Monte of Pune did. Four Diwalis ago, he bought a 564-litre side-by-side model on Amazon, swapped in his old fridge and paid about Rs 45,000. He did not fuss over the brand. The price decided it for him.

More Indians are now making the same call. In the first half of 2026, online sales of electronics other than mobile phones grew about 22% from a year ago, and large and small appliances such as ACs, fridges, washing machines and TVs grew 25%, accord ing to a report by Redseer Strategy Consultants. A year earlier, the category had shrunk 5%.

The timing is right for the next wave. Amazon’s Great Indian Festival opened on 8 October, and Flipkart’s Big Billion Days began with early access the same day, with everyone getting in from 9 October. Banks are adding 10% instant discounts on eligible card purchases. Here is what is pulling buyers online, where stores still hold their ground, and how to make the most of the offers.

Momentum for online retail

Physical retail remains the larger channel for Indian consumers, but recent data from leading research and consultancy firms attest to online retail’s rapid growth.

The Kagan 2026 Asia-Pacific Consumer Insights survey by S&P Global Market Intelligence, conducted in June 2026 among 1,000 internet adults each in China, South Korea and India, shows that most Indian respondents still primarily make retail purchases from stores.

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However, 41% of these Indians said they made fewer purchases at brick-and-mortar stores than a year ago, while 49% said they made more online purchases than in 2025.

According to a September report by market research firm IMARC, India’s online retail market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.81% between 2026 and 2034. In 2025, e-commerce marketplaces accounted for 81.3% of the market, driven by network effects, competitive pricing and broad product assortments.

The Redseer report published in September on how India’s online retail space fared in the first half of 2026 says the market grew about 25% year on year to roughly $38 billion—about Rs 3 lakh crore. This is the strongest first-half growth since H1 2022, when the nation was still in the throes of social restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Large appliances move into online basket

During this time, D’Monte tried his luck with a large appliance bought online: a 564-litre fridge sold under Amazon’s in house Amazon Basics label.

“The side-by-side-door fridge was purchased during Diwali almost four years ago. It was the largest size available and came with a very good exchange offer. I think the price was something like Rs 80,000, which was lower than other brands such as Haier and Samsung. With the exchange of my old fridge, I got it for about Rs 45,000, nearly a 50% discount,” reveals D’Monte, 61, who worked as an assistant general manager in the human resources–facilities and administration departments of major companies over the past three decades before retiring.

Brand was not a major consideration for D’Monte while making this purchase. “When I was browsing with my nephew, he said all fridges basically come with the same functions and specifications. It is just the label that comes later,” he quips.

D’Monte’s positive experience nudged him to Amazon Basics again the following year, this time for a fully automatic, top-load, 7-kg washing ma chine. “This was bought outside the festive season. I wanted to exchange my old machine too, but it was rejected during inspection because of rusting, so I had to pay the full price, probably Rs 13,000. Still, it worked out to be cheap er than other brands,” he adds.

Since he lives by himself, D’Monte appreciates the convenience of buy ing large appliances—products that are not purchased often—from home. Though not a big spender, he says, “If something I need appears at that time, then yes, I look forward to offers dur ing the festive season.”

Online retail market share by sales channel

Online retail market share by product category

Source: India Online Retail Market Size, Share, Trends & Forecast (2026-2034) by IMARC.

On-year growth in categories % H1 24-25 – H1 25-26

Online retail category (share in overall sales)

Redseer’s H1 2026 data offers a glimpse into how home appliances are leading e-commerce growth.

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Among the categories it tracked, electronics—excluding mobile phones—grew about 22% year on year in H1 2026, after declining 5% in the previous year’s first half. Within this category, large and small appliances in particular--air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, TVs and dishwashers, among others—recorded 25% year-on-year growth.

Several factors lifted electronics sales in H1 2026: the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax 2.0 regime last September, which cut rates on ACs, dishwashers, monitors and large TVs from 28% to 18% (refrigerators and washing machines were already taxed at 18%); an early and longer summer that boosted demand for ACs; the 2026 Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) star-rating changeover, which pulled some purchases forward; stronger growth in Tier 2 and smaller cities; and increased participation from Gen Z buyers.

On-year growth in festive e-commerce category

On-year growth in electronics

Note: Large & small electronics include air conditioners , refrigerators, TVs, washing machines, & small home appliances; electronic devices include laptops, tablets, camera, audio & video, personal healthcare appliances; electronic non-devices refers to IT and mobile accessories, gaming, IoT devices, smart home automation. Source: India Retail Online 2026 by Redseer Strategy Consultants.

Why stores still matter

Online sales in many categories are set for a healthy uptick this festive season, but some remain low on buy ers’ priority list—home and furniture being one of them. Redseer recorded 32-35% growth in this segment during H1 2026 and expects it to remain strong in the following six months. Yet, it is estimated to account for only about 9% of online retail during the festive window. Home and fur niture remains a category where products are often tested and tried in stores. Some e-commerce platforms use augmented reality technology to make choices easier for prospective buyers, but it does little to ease concerns about returns and refunds.

Shreya Dogra (name changed on request of anonymity) is a strong advocate of buying furniture offline. After moving into their Greater Noida apartment in August 2024, she and her husband bought a new three seater sofa manufactured by Sleepyhead as a housewarming gift from Amazon.

“We found a good deal using my husband’s Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card during the Amazon Great Freedom Sale and bought it on a one-year no-cost EMI (equated monthly instalment) plan for Rs.15,799. Right now, that sofa costs Rs.18,000,” according to Dogra, who works for a car retail platform.

The sofa was delivered within a week, and the couple did not have to pay any additional fee for delivery or installation. So far, so good. But after a few weeks, they regretted the purchase. “Its quality is poor. It is not comfortable at all. When you sit on it, the sofa pricks your back. A few of my relatives have also told me to replace it,” Dogra, 33, puts it bluntly.

But she concedes that because they paid less, the quality is not up to the mark. “Of course, it depends on the money you spend. It is what you expect from a Rs 15,000 sofa. It looks decent and has a good colour. I’ve had its cushions dry-cleaned a couple of times, and the colour has not faded. So, it is not that bad.”

Yet, it is no match for a Rs.25,000 two-seater sofa that the couple found at a WoodenStreet outlet in April last year. They also fancied a wooden table worth Rs.26,000 at the store. “But both were display-only pieces. We still paid the money after the store manag er placed the order online for both models, which were delivered to our home a month later,” says Dogra. The minor inconvenience of the delayed delivery aside, Dogra says she and her husband prefer the fur niture they tried, tested and then bought. “This sofa is more comfortable and fully made of sheesham wood. The three-seater has a wooden frame beneath the fabric, but its legs are made of plastic. My mother, who has mobility issues, prefers sitting on the two-seater.”

Her belief in offline shopping extends to large electronic items. “For Diwali last year, I bought a microwave oven and a washing machine for Rs.18,000 and Rs.19,000, respectively, from a Reliance Digital out let.” ogra recommends, “Offline shopping is better because you can check the quality on the spot. You do not have to worry about what kind of product you will end up with. These days, many products are replace able but not returnable.”

When products disappear

In some cases, products bought online also become unavailable for repurchase. For example, the Amazon Basics washing machine and refrigerator that D’Monte bought were no longer listed on Amazon. in when this story was written.

For D’Monte, fortunately, that is of no concern, as he has had no bitter experi ence with online shopping. “There is no issue with the fridge so far. It has worked quite well for more than three years. The washing machine is perfect too.” He does have a caveat: “Some people get addicted to online shopping, whether they require an item or not. That is the only thing I am sceptical about.”

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Price rise, but demand steady

Even as online sales of electronics are on track for healthy growth in calendar 2026, Redseer expects momentum to moder ate in the second half. It forecasts 12-15% growth in electronics excluding mobile phones in H2 2026.

For the upcoming festive season, the consultancy expects year-on-year growth in the category to be 15-17%. Electronics excluding mobile phones are likely to account for 17% of online retail sales during the festive period, down from 18% in the same window in 2025.

The IMARC report also highlights how the late-September-to-early-November rush can become a double-edged sword for retailers. Multi-brand marketplaces en gage in persistent price-based competition, conditioning Indian consumers to expect steep discounts, especially during major shopping festivals. As a result, profitability erodes, and platforms are forced to subsidise growth through heavy discounting, the re search firm says. Sustainable unit econom ics remain a structural challenge for most e-commerce participants, it adds. Inflation is also noticeable across vari ous electronic goods. Mobile phones, PCs, laptops and, to some extent, smart TVs have been facing higher memory-chip and compo nent costs amid strong demand from artifi cial-intelligence and data-centre companies.

Larger goods such as washing machines, air conditioners, refrigerators and dish washers face a broader mix of pressures— rising prices of copper, aluminium and steel; more expensive plastics and crude de rivatives; higher freight and logistics costs; the rupee’s depreciation against the US dol lar; and, for some categories, the effect of the 2026 BEE star-rating changes.

Nilesh Gupta, Director and Managing Partner of consumer electronics retail chain Vijay Sales, is aware of inflation across categories. “But I think the consumer is there, and in the mood to buy. Plus, EMI offers are always available to help offset the effect of price rises,” he says, optimistically.

Established in 1967, Vijay Sales operates more than 160 outlets across the country, where the festive season presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

“This time, values have hit a high because in most cases, average selling prices have already gone up. So, value-wise, we are not worried. Quantity is the concern. Still, we expect growth of anywhere between 5% and 10% year on year, Diwali to Diwali,” according to Gupta.

On large electronic items that have wit nessed high demand in recent months, he says, “I think dishwashers are a category that has emerged of late. Vacuum cleaners, both robotic and stick models, are also do ing well. We are also seeing a lot of interest in TVs, especially larger screens. Sixty-five inches is becoming the norm.”

Cards that sweeten spending

While a Diwali bonus may be in tow for many in the salaried class, a small bump in the paycheque will not necessarily meet all festive spending needs.

If you want to spread the cost, or preserve your savings, there are some tested credit card options to choose from. The usual favourites are co-branded offerings, where banks have tied up with retailers, both on line and offline. Some of these partnerships have been going on for years: the Amazon Pay-ICICI Bank Credit Card was launched in October 2018, while the Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card debuted in July 2019.

The Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card has no joining or annual fee and offers un limited cashback of up to 5% for Prime mem bers on eligible Amazon purchases. During the ongoing Amazon Great Indian Festival 2026, Amazon is separately offering a 10% instant discount on eligible purchases made using State Bank of India credit and debit cards, including eligible credit-card EMI transactions.

On Flipkart, eligible purchases with the Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card earn 5% cashback, subject to the published quarterly cap. For the Big Billion Days 2026 sale, the private bank is offering a 10% instant discount on eligible purchases made with its credit cards, up to Rs 17,250; selected products may carry additional discounts under the offer terms. While the Tata’s e-commerce venture Tata Neu does not appear to have a platform-wide festive sale comparable to Amazon’s or Flipkart’s, it has co-branded credit cards with HDFC Bank (since 2022) and SBI Card (since 2025). Each co-branded partnership offers two tiers, the entry-level Tat Neu Plus and the premium Tata Neu Infinity. Croma’s current pub lished offer says eligible purchases of select products using a Tata Neu card can earn up to 7% in NeuCoins with the Plus variant and up to 10% with the Infinity variant, including the standard card reward and an ad ditional offer.

These coins can be redeemed online and at select physical stores across participating Tata brands, subject to each brand’s eligible-product and transaction rules. The additional NeuCoins are credited later, full swipe transactions are required, EMI purchases are excluded and the large appliance offer requires a minimum transaction value of Rs 10,000. One NeuCoin generally equals Rs.1 when re deemed in eligible Tata Neu transactions; it is not a statement credit. Thus, on an eligible Rs 50,000 refrigerator, the Plus card could yield up to Rs.3,500 (the maximum 7%) in NeuCoins and the Infinity card up to Rs 5,000 (the maximum 10%), subject to the offer terms.

Saurabh Mittal, who leads financial services at Tata Digital, says usage of these cards has seen a strong uptick during the festive season, with spends rising by as much as 25% around these months. “We are seeing growing preference for a single card supporting everything from routine UPI pay ments and grocery purchases to larger ticket spends across categories such as hotels, electronics and luxury,” he added.

Whether you buy online or in a store, the real question is how sure you are of what you are buying. A fridge or a washing machine is not something you replace often, so check these be fore you pay.

Before you buy

Ease of buying: Are you comfortable with the platform or shop, from browsing and payment to exchange and returns?

Specifications: Can you judge the product on specifications alone, with out touch and feel? Compare prices across brands, as D’Monte did.

After-sales support: Who will install it, service it and take it back if something goes wrong? Check who services products sold under a plat form’s own label.

Exchange offers: They depend on inspection. D’Monte’s old washing ma chine was rejected for rust, so he paid full price.

Card terms: Read the caps and conditions, such as the Rs 17,250 limit on the Flipkart Axis Bank offer, or EMI purchases being excluded from the Tata Neu offer at Croma.

ET Wealth does not endorse any prod ucts, brands, e-commerce marketplaces, credit cards or purchase channels men tioned in this story. The intent is to high light festive-season spending trends. Readers should conduct their own research and exercise discretion before making purchase decisions.