India’s e-commerce ecosystem witnessed a strong summer season, led by a 21% YoY growth in Tier-3 cities, according to new data by Unicommerce. The platform, which processed over 160 million orders via Uniware from May 1 to June 25, highlighted the rising digital consumption in small towns as a major driver of India’s 8% overall order volume increase.
Key Consumer Trends by Tier:
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Tier-3 cities showed growing demand for home décor, furnishings, and wearable electronics
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Tier-2 cities leaned towards healthy food products
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Metro and Tier-1 cities saw a surge in orders for books, makeup, nutraceuticals, and travel accessories
Books led the growth chart with a 200% increase in sales, followed by home décor (100%), makeup (76%), electronic wearables (75%), and healthy food (65%).
Travel-related products also surged, with a 46% YoY growth, attributed to school breaks, festive travel, and long weekends. Items like duffle bags, cabin trolleys, and backpacks became hot picks.
Metro and Tier-1 cities continued to dominate order volumes with a 42% share, but Tier-3 cities followed closely at 38%, signaling a shift in consumer behavior in non-metros. Tier-2 cities contributed 20%.
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“The rise in online orders from smaller towns is reshaping India’s e-commerce landscape,” said Kapil Makhija, MD & CEO, Unicommerce. “We’re seeing Bharat consumers increasingly opt for digital shopping in categories once led by metros — from wellness to home upgrades and tech.”
The report positions summer as a pivotal shopping window — giving brands insight into evolving preferences and setting the stage for India’s high-stakes festive season sales.
