Shiprocket, an e-commerce enablement platform, reports that the Indian e-commerce opportunity during the festive season is expected to reach approximately $13 billion for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India. Notably, non-metro cities contribute to 56% of the order volume, indicating the growing acceptance of online shopping and digital transactions in smaller towns and rural areas. MSMEs in Tier II, III, and IV cities are anticipating a surge in Diwali gift orders, outpacing merchants in metro cities.
The increased e-commerce activity is likely to see first-time buyers comprising 10-15% of the overall order volume. Delhi NCR leads in festive sales with a significant 28% share, followed by Mumbai at 13% and Bengaluru at 7%, indicating the vibrancy of business activities in these regions, especially with a large number of MSMEs. The most popular category during the holiday season is personal care products, and Shiprocket plans to assist merchants in various key segments like apparel, footwear, electronics, home decor, and books.
Shiprocket is also experiencing a rise in festive exports from India, particularly in categories such as artificial jewelry, cosmetics, clothing and accessories, and more. The demand for these products mainly comes from countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Canada, France, and the United Arab Emirates.
To meet the heightened holiday season demands, Shiprocket has significantly increased its warehouse capacity, doubling the space to 2 million square feet and adding three modern warehouses. The company has also expanded its warehouse workforce by 50% to ensure efficient order processing and fulfillment. Shiprocket’s efforts to provide comprehensive e-commerce support aim to enable Indian MSMEs to tap into the holiday shopping surge.
