India’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands recorded a significant increase in festive-season business ahead of Diwali 2026, with daily order shipments rising 27% year on year and the total value of goods sold increasing approximately 45%. The findings come from a ClickPost report analysing more than 8 crore orders placed through the websites of nearly 400 D2C brands. The data cover the period from September 20 to November 5, 2026, compared with September 1 to October 17, 2025.
The faster increase in sales value compared with order volume suggests that consumers spent more on each order during the festive period. ClickPost attributed the trend to purchases of higher-priced products, particularly in luxury fashion, skincare, wellness and jewellery. The report also found improvements in delivery performance, with fewer failed delivery attempts, lower returns of undelivered orders and shorter average delivery times. Together, the findings point to growing festive demand and improvements in the logistics operations supporting India’s online-first brands.
Key Takeaways
- Daily D2C order shipments increased 27% year on year ahead of Diwali 2026.
- The value of goods sold, measured through gross merchandise value (GMV), increased approximately 45%.
- ClickPost analysed more than 8 crore orders from nearly 400 D2C brands.
- Spending was concentrated in higher-value categories, including luxury fashion, skincare, wellness and jewellery.
- Failed delivery attempts declined from 22% to 21% of orders.
- Orders returned to sellers without successful delivery fell from 11% to 10%.
- Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities recorded an 83% on-time delivery rate, compared with 78% in Tier 1 metros.
- Hyperlocal deliveries through brand-owned websites and apps increased from 2.6% to 5% of orders.
D2C Brands Record Stronger Festive Orders in 2026
The festive season has become an important sales period for Indian D2C companies, which sell products directly to consumers through their own websites, applications and other digital channels.
ClickPost’s latest analysis indicates that this year’s pre-Diwali shopping period delivered higher order volumes and a substantially larger increase in sales value.
The company analysed more than 8 crore orders placed on the websites of nearly 400 D2C brands. It compared two festive shopping windows:
| Metric | 2025 comparison | 2026 festive period |
|---|---|---|
| Comparison window | September 1–October 17 | September 20–November 5 |
| Daily order shipments | — | Up 27% year on year |
| Gross merchandise value | — | Up approximately 45% |
| Orders analysed | Part of the combined dataset | More than 8 crore across the analysis |
The figures suggest that D2C brands generated more business during the festive period, with the value of goods sold increasing faster than the number of orders.
However, the comparison windows do not cover identical calendar dates. The findings should therefore be understood as the report’s comparison of festive shopping periods, rather than a perfectly matched daily comparison across the same dates.
Why Sales Value Grew Faster Than Order Volumes
The difference between order growth and GMV growth is one of the most important findings in the report.
Order volume increased 27%, while GMV rose approximately 45%. In other words, the value of goods sold expanded around 1.7 times faster than the number of orders.
This indicates that the increase was not driven only by more consumers placing orders. The value of purchases also increased.
ClickPost attributed the trend to consumers purchasing higher-priced products despite rising retail prices, rather than consistently shifting towards cheaper alternatives.
Several product categories contributed to the trend, particularly luxury fashion, skincare, wellness and jewellery.
These categories can generate higher transaction values than everyday low-priced products. Jewellery purchases, premium skincare products and luxury fashion items can increase the total value of sales even when the number of transactions grows at a slower rate.
However, the report does not establish how much of the GMV increase came from higher product prices, larger shopping baskets or a shift towards premium products. Those factors should not be treated as interchangeable.
For D2C businesses, the distinction matters because revenue growth does not automatically translate into higher profits. Companies must also account for product costs, discounts, advertising expenses, payment charges, shipping and returns.
Luxury Fashion, Skincare and Jewellery Drive Higher-Value Spending
The report identified luxury fashion, skincare, wellness and jewellery as important categories attracting consumer spending during the festive period.
These categories benefit from several shopping occasions around Diwali, including personal purchases, gifting and seasonal promotions.
Beauty and personal care lead by order volume
Beauty and personal care was the largest category by volume in ClickPost’s analysis.
Orders in the category increased between 33% and 39% across all city tiers.
The growth indicates that beauty and personal care products continued to attract consumers across large cities and smaller markets.
For D2C beauty brands, festive demand also provides an opportunity to introduce new products, promote product combinations and encourage repeat purchases.
Jewellery remains an important gifting category
Jewellery continued to be the leading festive gifting category in the report.
The average value of a prepaid jewellery order increased 7.4% to ₹5,773.
The figure highlights the contribution of relatively high-value purchases to festive-season sales. Jewellery purchases can increase GMV significantly even without a similar increase in the total number of transactions.
Wellness products record higher prepaid order values
Nutrition and wellness products also recorded an increase in purchase values.
The average prepaid order value in the category rose 11.1% to ₹936, according to ClickPost.
The category includes products purchased for personal use and gifting, although the report does not provide a detailed breakdown of individual product types.
Delivery Performance Improves Despite Higher Festive Demand
Higher order volumes can create significant pressure on logistics networks.
D2C companies must coordinate inventory, packaging, warehouse operations, courier partners and customer communication to handle demand during major shopping periods.
ClickPost’s analysis found that delivery performance improved even as daily order shipments increased.
| Delivery metric | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Failed delivery attempts | 22% | 21% |
| Orders returned undelivered | 11% | 10% |
| Average delivery time | More than 3 days | Around 2.5 days |
| On-time delivery in Tier 1 metros | — | 78% |
| On-time delivery in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities | — | 83% |
The reduction in failed delivery attempts and undelivered returns suggests that brands and their logistics partners handled the festive surge more efficiently.
Average delivery time also declined from more than three days to approximately two and a half days.
These improvements are important because delivery reliability can influence customer satisfaction, repeat purchases and the overall cost of operating an online business.
Failed deliveries create additional work for courier companies and merchants. They can require another delivery attempt, customer communication, inventory handling and, in some cases, a return to the seller.
A lower rate of unsuccessful deliveries can help reduce these operational complications.
However, the report does not provide enough financial information to calculate the exact savings generated by the improvement.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities Deliver Orders More Punctually Than Metros
One of the notable findings is the difference in on-time delivery performance between smaller cities and major metropolitan markets.
Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities recorded an 83% on-time delivery rate, compared with 78% in Tier 1 metros.
This suggests that smaller cities performed better on delivery punctuality during the measured festive period.
The improvement is particularly relevant as D2C companies expand beyond India’s largest urban markets.
Smaller cities have become important customer markets for online-first businesses selling fashion, beauty, personal care, jewellery and wellness products.
However, expanding into these markets requires more than attracting online orders. Brands also need reliable delivery coverage, accessible return services and sufficient inventory to meet demand.
The reported delivery figures indicate that logistics performance in smaller markets is not necessarily weaker than in metropolitan areas.
Tier 3 cities also recorded the sharpest improvement in on-time deliveries, rising from 74% in the previous year’s comparison to a higher rate in 2026, according to the report.
Hyperlocal Deliveries on D2C Websites Nearly Double
Another emerging trend is the growth of hyperlocal delivery through brand-owned websites and applications.
ClickPost found that hyperlocal deliveries increased to 5% of orders on brand-owned platforms, compared with 2.6% in the previous year’s comparison.
Hyperlocal delivery allows customers to receive products from nearby stores, warehouses or local fulfilment locations rather than relying entirely on conventional shipping networks.
The model is becoming more relevant as consumers become accustomed to faster delivery through quick-commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and Zepto.
D2C brands are increasingly exploring ways to offer faster delivery directly through their own digital storefronts.
This can help brands provide a quicker shopping experience while maintaining a direct relationship with customers.
However, hyperlocal delivery also requires inventory to be available close to the customer. Businesses must balance the cost of maintaining distributed inventory against the potential benefits of faster fulfilment.
The increase from 2.6% to 5% suggests that hyperlocal fulfilment is gaining traction, although it still represents a relatively small share of the orders measured by ClickPost.
Festive Shopping Demand Is Becoming More Spread Out
The 2026 festive calendar also influenced the distribution of online shopping activity.
According to ClickPost, Dussehra, Karwa Chauth and Diwali fell within an 18-day period. This created several overlapping shopping occasions in late October.
The report said late October alone recorded more than 10 high-volume days, with each matching or exceeding the previous year’s single peak shipping day.
This suggests that festive demand was not concentrated around only one major shopping date.
For D2C companies, a longer period of elevated demand can create both opportunities and operational challenges.
Brands need to forecast demand across multiple occasions, maintain sufficient inventory and coordinate logistics partners to avoid delays.
A concentrated shopping peak can put sudden pressure on warehouses and delivery networks. A longer festive period requires companies to maintain operational capacity for an extended period.
The changing distribution of demand also makes inventory planning more important. Businesses that prepare only for the final days before Diwali may miss purchases made earlier in the festive calendar.
How the Findings Compare With Broader E-Commerce Growth
ClickPost’s findings are part of a wider increase in India’s online festive shopping activity.
A separate report by e-commerce technology company Unicommerce, covering October 6 to November 4, 2026, found that overall e-commerce order volumes increased 21% year on year.
The report also found that quick-commerce platforms recorded 75% growth in order volumes and 38% growth in GMV. D2C brand websites recorded 30% growth in order volumes and 26% growth in GMV, while marketplaces recorded increases of 8% in orders and 6% in GMV.
These figures come from a different dataset and comparison methodology, so they should not be directly combined with ClickPost’s findings.
Nevertheless, the two reports offer a broader picture of festive shopping in India: online demand is expanding across multiple channels, including brand-owned websites, marketplaces and quick-commerce platforms.
For D2C businesses, this creates opportunities to reach consumers through their own storefronts while also competing for attention on larger digital platforms.
What the Growth Means for India’s D2C Industry
The latest findings highlight three important developments for India’s D2C sector.
First, consumers are placing more orders directly through brand-owned websites. This gives businesses an opportunity to build direct customer relationships and collect first-party information about shopping behaviour.
Second, higher-value categories are contributing to the increase in sales value. Brands selling jewellery, skincare, luxury fashion and wellness products are positioned to benefit from consumer spending during festive occasions.
Third, logistics performance is becoming an important competitive factor. Faster delivery, fewer failed attempts and better order management can influence whether customers return to a brand after their first purchase.
However, higher sales do not guarantee stronger profitability.
D2C companies still need to manage advertising costs, customer acquisition expenses, discounts, inventory risks and delivery charges. A business can record strong GMV growth while facing pressure on its margins.
The next challenge for brands will be converting seasonal customers into repeat buyers and maintaining operational efficiency after the festive shopping period ends.
The Bigger Picture
India’s D2C industry is entering a phase in which growth is increasingly about both order volume and the value of products consumers purchase. ClickPost’s findings show that GMV increased considerably faster than daily order shipments during the pre-Diwali period, with higher-value categories contributing to the difference. At the same time, improved delivery performance suggests that logistics networks are becoming better equipped to handle seasonal demand.
The longer-term opportunity will depend on whether brands can sustain this growth beyond festive occasions. Companies that combine attractive products, reliable delivery, efficient customer acquisition and repeat purchases will be better positioned to build durable businesses. The latest figures demonstrate stronger festive activity, but profitability and customer retention will remain important measures of the industry’s progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much did D2C orders grow before Diwali 2026?
Daily order shipments from Indian D2C brands increased 27% year on year during the pre-Diwali period, according to ClickPost.
2. How much did D2C sales value increase?
The total value of goods sold, measured through GMV, increased approximately 45% year on year.
3. How many orders did ClickPost analyse?
ClickPost analysed more than 8 crore orders placed through the websites of nearly 400 D2C brands.
4. Which categories recorded strong festive demand?
Luxury fashion, skincare, wellness and jewellery were among the higher-value categories highlighted in the report. Beauty and personal care was the largest category by order volume.
5. How did delivery performance change?
Failed delivery attempts declined from 22% to 21%, while orders returned to sellers without successful delivery fell from 11% to 10%. Average delivery time improved from more than three days to approximately two and a half days.
6. Which cities recorded better on-time delivery rates?
Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities recorded an 83% on-time delivery rate, compared with 78% in Tier 1 metropolitan areas.
7. What is hyperlocal delivery in D2C?
Hyperlocal delivery involves fulfilling orders from locations close to the customer, allowing brands to offer faster delivery through their own websites and applications.
8. Does higher GMV mean D2C brands earned more profit?
Not necessarily. GMV measures the value of goods sold, not the profit retained by a business. Brands must account for product costs, discounts, marketing, fulfilment, shipping and returns.
Looking Ahead
The latest festive-season figures suggest that India’s D2C brands are benefiting from stronger online demand and higher-value purchases. The increase in hyperlocal deliveries and improvements in delivery reliability also show how companies are adapting their fulfilment models to changing consumer expectations. The next few months will reveal whether these trends continue beyond the Diwali shopping period.
For D2C businesses, the priority will be turning festive-season transactions into lasting customer relationships. Higher order volumes and GMV can provide a strong foundation, but sustainable growth will depend on repeat purchases, efficient logistics and healthy margins. The companies that manage these factors will be better positioned to compete as India’s online retail market continues to expand.
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