Amazon sees huge traffic from non-metro cities during Festival and Diwali sales 2024, setting new record

Amazon India has announced record results for its Great Indian Festival (AGIF) 2024, marking the event as the most successful in its history. The month-long festival, which ran from September 27 to early November, saw impressive growth in visitation, especially from non-metro cities, which accounted for more than 85 percent of total visits.

The Great Indian Festival attracted 140 million visitors, with tier-2 cities and smaller towns making a significant contribution to this figure. Nearly 70 percent of Prime members who shopped during the festival were from these areas. During the first two days of the event, Amazon recorded its highest number of Prime sign-ups in a single day, with Prime members receiving expedited shipping on more than 3 million items.

Sellers, especially from distant cities, reported record sales. Compared to last year, over 70 percent of sellers crossed the INR 1 crore mark, with small businesses, artisans and women entrepreneurs selling over 1,000 units every minute. Approximately 42,000 sellers achieved the highest single-day sales figures, with 70 percent of them living in tier-2 cities and smaller towns.

During the festival, Amazon Pay witnessed remarkable growth with ICICI Bank credit card transactions increasing by 50 percent and UPI transactions increasing by 20 percent. Almost 25 percent of electronics purchases were made using EMI options, with most EMIs offered at no extra cost. This financial flexibility has also led to an increase in travel bookings, with flight and hotel bookings increasing by 20 percent and 60 percent, respectively.

Product categories such as large screen TVs, 5G smartphones and audio products were in high demand. Amazon devices, including the Fire TV Stick and Redmi Smart Fire TV, have become top sellers. Sales of non-gaming and gaming laptops grew 30% year-on-year, driven by demand for Intel-based models. Sales of home improvement items, including lighting and decor, are also up, and holiday items such as garlands and garlands are in high demand.

Non-metropolitan shoppers have played a major role in Amazon’s growth, accounting for more than half of all TV and major appliance sales. Amazon Bazaar, which caters to basic daily needs, has seen its user base quadruple, predominantly from tier-2 cities and beyond.

Amazon Business has seen a 50 percent increase in first-time business shoppers, with many choosing Prime membership for early access and faster shipping. Demand for volume discounts was growing, with businesses ordering larger volumes and benefiting from a range of individual discounts.