Quick commerce surges 120%; brand websites up 33%; average delivery time improves 15%
India’s e-commerce sector closed the 2025 Diwali festive season on a high, posting a 24% year-on-year (YoY) rise in order volumes and a 23% increase in gross merchandise value (GMV), according to data from Unicommerce, India’s leading e-commerce enablement SaaS platform.
Based on over 150 million transactions processed through its flagship platform, Uniware, the report analyzed performance over the 25-day festive periods of 2024 and 2025. Tier II and III cities accounted for 55% of total orders, underscoring the growing purchasing power and digital adoption in smaller towns.
Quick commerce led growth with a 120% jump in order volumes, while brand websites rose 33%. Marketplaces continued to dominate, contributing 38% of all orders and posting 8% YoY growth.
Regionally, Tier II cities recorded the highest order growth at 28%, followed by Tier I metros at 24% and Tier III towns at 23%, signaling strong festive momentum nationwide.
Top-performing product segments included FMCG—driven by healthy food products like fusion sweets, dry fruit boxes, and millet snacks—along with home décor and furniture, beauty and wellness, and health and pharma, which saw robust demand for supplements and personal care products.
On the payments front, prepaid transactions rose 26%, reflecting stronger consumer confidence in digital payments. Meanwhile, Cash-on-Delivery (COD) volumes grew 22%, and COD GMV climbed 35%, suggesting a shift toward higher-value offline payments.
Data from Shipway, Unicommerce’s logistics platform, revealed that average delivery times were 15% faster this festive season compared to last year. The improvement highlights better supply chain preparedness, advanced demand forecasting, and efficient last-mile delivery, ensuring timely fulfillment even at peak demand.
The findings reaffirm Unicommerce’s pivotal role in powering India’s growing e-commerce ecosystem, where speed, trust, and seamless customer experience define festive success.
