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D2C Brands Thrive as Indian Shoppers Embrace Early Festive Buying
26 Aug
Summary
- 16% increase in D2C order volumes on GoKwik's platform
- Fashion, beauty, and health categories leading sales
- Prepaid orders surging across most categories
As of August 26th, 2025, 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, attributes this shift to consumers trying to beat last-minute supply bottlenecks and secure early discounts.
Fashion and apparel have dominated sales, representing 31% of total volumes, followed by beauty and personal care at 22% and health and wellness at 14%. Besides the standard categories, a few unusual categories, such as astrology, have also emerged, with astrological products posting the highest average order value at Rs5,042 per purchase.
Merchants have also reported sharper supply-chain performance, with return-to-origin (RTO) rates declining across major categories. One of the most marked changes has been in payment choices, with prepaid orders surging across 15 of 18 categories, indicating a shift in consumer preferences.
