Redseer report: Online retail in India moving towards year-round demand

India’s online retail landscape is witnessing a structural shift as consumer buying behaviour becomes increasingly “de-seasonalised,” according to a recent report by consultancy firm Redseer. While the traditional September-October festive period continues to dominate online sales, particularly in high-ticket categories, the overall market is showing signs of smoother, more consistent demand across the year.

The report identifies six core sectors—mobiles, electronics, fashion, home & furniture, grocery, and beauty & personal care—that together account for over 90 percent of the online retail sector’s gross merchandise value (GMV). Of these, mobiles and electronics remain the most seasonal, heavily dependent on the annual festive surge.

Fashion witnesses growing off-season base

By contrast, fashion and home & furniture display moderate seasonality. Home & furniture registers a Seasonality Index Diff of 0.85, reflecting a clear demand boost during the festive months as consumers invest in home upgrades. Fashion, with a lower diff of 0.52, shows steadier year-round sales but still benefits from a notable lift during the September-October period. For apparel and lifestyle brands, this indicates both opportunity and challenge: festive surges remain vital, but a growing off-season base offers room for year-round engagement strategies.

The most stable sectors—grocery and beauty & personal care—illustrate the broader “de-seasonalisation” trend with these categories maintaining steady monthly GMV levels close to the average, driven by the recurring nature of everyday essentials and personal care products. Their consistent performance provides a cushion for online platforms seeking to balance out volatility in other categories.

Redseer emphasises the need to “flatten the curve”

For brands, Redseer emphasises the need to “flatten the curve” through customised strategies. In highly seasonal categories like mobiles and electronics, companies should consider launching exclusive products or targeted promotions during off-peak months such as January to April to create new purchase cycles. Apparel and lifestyle players, meanwhile, can use marketing innovation, influencer-driven drops, or limited-edition collaborations to sustain interest beyond the festive period. For e-commerce platforms, the report suggests orchestrating sector-specific demand triggers.

Ultimately, India’s online retail ecosystem is moving toward a more balanced rhythm, but the festive season still sets the tempo. The real winners, Redseer concludes, will be brands and platforms that can reengineer seasonality—creating steady engagement in stable categories, generating new demand cycles in slower months, and managing festive peaks without disruption.