According to data from Counterpoint Research, smartphone sales grew by 8% year-on-year (YoY) in the first set of season sales on eCommerce sites like Flipkart’s Big Shopping Utsav, and Amazon’s Great Indian Festival. 

In the context of phones in particular, this growth can be explained by the increase observed in the average cost of smartphones, and the shift in consumer behaviour towards more premium products. Along the same lines, entry-level smartphones saw a low demand, which impacted the overall performance of the smartphone market.

Notably, the sales fell by 3% YoY in terms of volume. The festive season might bring about a change in the number.

Offline touchpoints also saw an increase in sales after 3 October, possibly because of the end of Pitru Paksha on 2 October. This period of honouring ancestors sees most people abstain from big purchases. According to leading business portals, the festive season is an important period for India’s smartphone market. It makes for 20–25% of the companies’ annual sales.

Amid the push for localisation from the government, vendors must focus on local distribution, leveraging local manufacturing partners and appointing Indian leadership. They also need to enhance user experience and educate consumers for effective device engagement. The key is: Expanding into smaller cities and bolstering mainline retail. All in all, this will enable companies to make the most of the festive season.

Other than smartphones, some uses of rigid boxes include packaging luxury goods, such as high-end cosmetics, perfumes, jewellery, watches, and designer clothing. Rigid boxes are also used for packaging electronic devices, such as tablets, laptops, cameras, and high-end audio equipment, to protect during shipping while creating a premium unboxing experience for customers.