MAM
Diwali Sales volumes grow 1.5 times over last year : Snapdeal
MUMBAI: Snapdeal, India’s largest value-focused online marketplace, concluded its first Diwali sale of 2019 with record orders received, showing a massive growth of 52% over last Diwali volumes.
The growth of e-commerce via increased adoption was also evident from the sharp increase in first time users on the platform – which more than doubled from the last Diwali season.
Given Snapdeal’s focus and leadership in the Bharat-focused value merchandise, nine out of every ten orders received on Snapdeal were from non-metro towns across India.
According to Snapdeal, the increase in volumes from smaller cities was a pan-India trend. However, cities like Nagpur, Surat, Vijayawada, Chandigarh, Panaji, Jamshedpur, Shimla & Guwahati emerged as the new e-commerce hotspots of India, with orders surging at least four-fold over the previous year.
Over 120 cities and towns across the country registered at least 2X volumes compared to last Diwali sales. These include cities like Satara, Anand, Bharuch & Pali (West India), Malerkotla, Roorkee, Jhansi & Haridwar (North India), Hazaribagh, Raniganj & Paradip (East India), Tezpur, Itanagar & Majuli (North-East India) and Khammam, Hassan, Miryalaguda and Bhimavaram (South India)
Snapdeal attributed this growth to the deepening of its focus on value-priced merchandise. In the last two years, Snapdeal has added 60,000+ new seller partners, who have added over 50 Million new listings through a structured engagement aimed at building a deep assortment of products relevant for value-savvy buyers. Snapdeal now has more than 500,000 registered sellers, who have more than 200 million listings on the marketplace.
Interestingly, most of the listings on Snapdeal are by small businesses and existing retailers from the physical bazaars in India, who are well conversant with the latest products – both Indian and imported. They also have a good understanding of the value-pricing strategy, given the competitive pricing that is the norm in the numerous wholesale and retail bazaars across the country.
According to Kunal Bahl, CEO & Co-founder, Snapdeal, “This festive season, we are witnessing the early phase of India’s rich and vibrant bazaars exploring the online opportunity. 100% of the sellers on Snapdeal are independent, third-party sellers and hence the growing volumes on our marketplace translate directly into greater opportunities for India’s small and medium businesses. It is a matter of great pride for us to help build an enabling and inclusive Indian e-commerce ecosystem.”
The most popular items in the sale were everyday apparel, with both men and women shoppers preferring track pants, t-shirts and shorts over formal wear. In fashion accessories, casual shoes, flip flops, belts and artificial jewelry were the top selling items.
Personal care products continued their recent trend of rising sales with shaving & grooming products for men and epilators for women amongst the most bought products.
The home category best sellers included multi-function kitchen gadgets, kitchen storage, towels & home linen.
Bedsheets from Jaipur were the single largest selling items that received orders from 180+ cities across India.
Snapdeal’s 8-day sale was planned to maximise the opportunity for buyers to browse the endless feed on the Snapdeal app. In the 8-day, “Snap-Diwali sale” that ran from 29th September – 8th October 2019, the platform clocked more than 76 million visits – surpassing its monthly visits within the first week of October 19.
During the sale more than 15 million users played “Spin the Wheel” game on the Snapdeal app to discover additional bargains and win sale coupons.
Snapdeal’s second “Snap-Diwali” sale will be live on 11th October and will run till 13th October’19.
MAM
Lakmé launches SPF infused makeup range with ‘I Earned It’ campaign
Lakmé 9to5 Hya Beach Edit blends sun protection, hydration and colour.
MUMBAI: If the Indian summer insists on turning up the heat, beauty brands are learning to keep their cool. Lakmé has unveiled a new campaign titled “I Earned It” to introduce the Lakmé 9to5 Hya Beach Edit, its first makeup range infused with SPF. The campaign features brand ambassador Aneet Padda and positions the collection as a blend of sun protection, skincare and long wear colour designed for India’s hot and humid climate.
Part of the Lakmé 9to5 portfolio, the new range expands the brand’s long running narrative around the confident working Indian woman. With the “I Earned It” message, the campaign shifts the focus slightly, celebrating not just ambition but also the idea that downtime and personal moments are equally deserved.
The campaign film follows a modern professional navigating a day that moves effortlessly between work calls, coffee runs and evening plans, reflecting the fast paced routine of urban life where indoor polish often meets outdoor exposure to the sun.
Hindustan Unilever Limited chief marketing officer for beauty and wellbeing Sunanda Khaitan said the product was developed with India’s climate and lifestyle in mind. “Living in a country with high sun exposure made us rethink what long wear beauty should deliver. With the Lakmé 9to5 Hya Beach Edit we are bringing together sun protection, hydration and high performance colour in a single step,” she said.
The new range is formulated with SPF and powered by hyaluronic acid, a skincare ingredient widely used for hydration. According to the brand, the products are designed to remain intact in heat and humidity with sweat proof, transfer proof and water proof formulas.
The aim is to merge skincare benefits with cosmetic performance, offering lightweight finishes that stay fresh even during long days outdoors.
Padda said the campaign resonated with her own routine of balancing work and personal time. “‘I Earned It’ is a reminder to celebrate yourself without guilt and enjoy the moments you have worked hard for. The campaign reflects that spirit with makeup that feels fresh, effortless and designed for real life,” she said.
The campaign was developed by Ogilvy, where creative leaders Mihir Chanchani and Zenobia Pithawalla described the concept as reflecting a Gen Z mindset that embraces both hustle and leisure.
The Lakmé 9to5 Hya Beach Edit collection is now available on the brand’s official website, major online marketplaces and retail stores across India.
