09 - 10 - 2026

Flipkart records 6.3 million users as festive season sales opens

Flipkart recorded 6.3 million concurrent users in the very first minute of the opening hour of its The Big Billion Days, with 6 times more Indians shopping on the platform than in a regular hour and new customers growing 34 per cent.

The opening hour is a strong indicator of how deeply festive shopping online has taken root in India, and Flipkart is serving customers across every corner of it.

Early access opened at midnight on October 8 for Flipkart Plus and Black members and Flipkart Co-brand card members, leading to over 287 million sessions as customers from across India shopped for mobilehs, electronics, large appliances, beauty, lifestyle and home.

Nearly one in two visits in the first hour came from Tier-III towns and beyond. Non-metro customers accounted for about 60 per cent of demand, with Sardulgarh, Panskura, Sheikhpura and Kishanganj among the fastest-growing markets at the opening of the sale.

Mobiles saw strong traction across premium and flagship smartphones, with affordability levers driving clear uplift. One in four customers opted for product exchange and one in three opted for no cost EMI. Entry-level 5G models, held at last year’s prices, also drove strong purchases on value.

Large appliances grew 30 per cent year-on-year in the first hour, with strong demand across ACs, refrigerators and washing machines. Tablets grew 73 per cent YoY, reflecting a strong festive appetite for personal tech upgrades.

Beauty grew 42 per cent YoY in the first hour, led by men’s grooming and self-care. At peak, Flipkart was selling over 1,600 units of men’s perfume every minute, a clear signal of how deeply personal care has entered the festive basket.

Delivery in minutes

Flipkart Minutes saw order volumes rise 3.5 times over regular days and new customers grow 11 times in the first hour, with demand extending well beyond everyday essentials into premium electronics, grooming and wearables. Demand beyond metros was particularly strong, with Tier-II-plus cities among the fastest-growing markets on Minutes in the opening phase.

During Early Access, an iPhone 17 reached a customer in New  Delhi in 3.4 minutes, powered by Flipkart Minutes. Other popular purchases included air fryers, laptops and external hard drives.

Content-led shopping drew strong engagement during Early Access. More than 1,000 hours of live commerce and over 500,000 short-format videos brought 12.7 million users to Flipkart’s video and live experiences. Voice search saw strong adoption beyond metros, with around 64 per cent of users coming from Tier-II-plus markets, and lifestyle and makeup products among the most-searched categories.

GenZ led the festive shift toward self-care and personal style. Beauty grew 48 per cent and watches 42 per cent among younger shoppers, with sneakers, perfumes, skincare, creatine and jeans among the most searched items across fashion and personalcare.

On the early access day, 51 per cent of transacting sellers recorded two times growth over regular days. Sellers in Tier-II-plus India, including MSMEs and small businesses, grew 2.9 times, with Bhiwandi, Panipat, Tirupur and Hisar leading the surge.

The Flipkart Group is a digital commerce entity with group companies including Flipkart, Myntra, Flipkart Wholesale, Cleartrip and super.money.

If you spotted a mistake or have feedback on this story, write to us at editor@newsassociate.com. Email us your press releases on the same ID.

https://newsassociate.com/ouranalysis/amazon-opens-its-festive-war-chest/