MAM
Every third user on Snapdeal is now buying safety & immunity products
A range of “new essentials” is now becoming an integral part of online buyers’ shopping lists in India. Every third shopper on Snapdeal is buying products relating to safety & immunity. These include masks, sanitizers, traditional immunity boosters like Chyawanprash, vitamins, herbal health supplements etc.
Masks are the single largest purchased item in this category of new essentials, accounting for nearly 70% of the order volumes. The sale of masks has more than tripled in the last 30 days as greater awareness, easy availability and reduced prices have prompted more users to buy masks.
The rise in volumes is both on account of new users and also because of existing buyers replenishing their stocks. Packs of 25-masks are the most popular purchase by first-time buyers. Those buying to replenish their stocks at home are preferring to buy bulk packs of 50-100 masks, as the long term need to wear masks becomes more evident.
Users have a strong preference for 3-ply masks that have a middle filter layer of meltblown fabric. With a lot of supply being added in the recent weeks, the price for such masks has dropped nearly 25% from Rs 16 per mask to Rs 10-12 per mask. Many sellers have also dropped the price for normal 3-ply masks by about 25% to Rs 8, while the price for 2 ply masks has also dropped to Rs 6-7. There is also a growing demand for reusable masks in the price range of Rs 100-150 per mask.
Sanitizers are the other large category, accounting for nearly 20% of the volumes. The sale of hand sanitizers has increased by 60% in the last 30 days due to improved availability and increased awareness. Bottles of 500 ml and small bottle multi-packs of 50-60 ml score high on buyer preference.
Those buying larger packs prefer the liquid sanitizer, while the smaller bottles are more popular with those looking at gel-based sanitizers. The prices for sanitizers have largely remained steady, dropping by about 5% in the past 2 weeks.
Immunity boosters are the third-largest item in the category of new essentials and are rapidly growing in both volume & value. Users are mainly buying Vitamins C, E B6 & Zinc supplements as immunity boosters. Amidst traditional products, Chayanprash is the clear favourite, with sales of the same growing week on week as more users hear of the same through word of mouth and place orders.
Herbal products based on Turmeric, Tulsi, Neem, Fish Oil, Moringa and Amla are also popular for those shopping for health supplements. Herbal teas, Brahmi tablets, Karela & Jamun juices, Clove powder, and Ashwagandha are also popular. Traditional Kadha items like dry ginger, black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric are selling higher volumes in the spices category. Steam vaporizers are amongst the highest-selling medical equipment on Snapdeal.
The sale of such products accounts for nearly 7% of the “new essentials” category. Disposable gloves, shoe covers and face shields are the other products in this category. The demand for face shields is expected to grow very rapidly when public transport resumes and people travel in shared spaces.
Users are also enquiring for and have started to buy complete PPE kits, including gown, gloves, hood, shoe covers, head cap, mask and disposal bags. These are priced around Rs 500 per kit.
According to Snapdeal, the “new essentials” is the top-selling category on its platform right now and they are part of every third shopper’s list as Indians prepare to return to work amidst safety concerns. About 60% of the sales of this category is coming from India’s top 10 cities, while non-metros account for the balance.
“We expect the demand for this category, especially masks & sanitizers to grow further in the next two months. The requirement to compulsorily wear masks in public areas as mandated by various government agencies & within private offices and greater need for sanitizers etc by people returning to work are two strong factors influencing near term demand”, a Snapdeal spokesperson added
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MAM
Netflix Q1 2026 earnings ad growth and content spending in focus
Streaming giant set to report results on Thursday after walking away from Warner Bros Discovery takeover.
MUMBAI: Netflix is about to hit play on its latest quarterly numbers and investors are hoping the plot thickens in all the right ways. The streaming leader reports its first-quarter 2026 earnings on Thursday, marking its first set of results since it walked away from a proposed takeover of Warner Bros Discovery. That failed bid would have handed Netflix prized franchises such as Game of Thrones and Friends on a silver platter, sparing the costly effort of building its own library. Instead, the company now faces tougher competition from a potential $110 billion Warner Bros-Paramount Skydance combination, should that deal close.
Analysts polled by LSEG expect Netflix to post a 15.5 per cent rise in revenue to $12.18 billion, with advertising contributing $634 million. The company raised US prices in March, a move some believe could prompt an upward revision to its full-year revenue forecast and nudge more subscribers towards the faster-growing ad-supported tier.
Netflix shares have climbed 13 per cent so far this year and are up roughly 26 per cent since the company stepped back from the $72 billion Warner Bros deal. With the merger drama behind it, the spotlight now shifts to how aggressively Netflix can expand its advertising business and live programming.
“We’re kind of entering another phase for the ad business, where they are becoming one of the largest scaled global advertising platforms,” said Gabelli Funds portfolio manager John Belton, which holds Netflix shares.
During the quarter, Netflix beefed up its live slate with a BTS concert streamed from Seoul that drew 18.4 million viewers worldwide and the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which became the most-streamed baseball game globally. Investors are watching for signals that the company will lean further into sports and other live events to fuel ad revenue growth.
The results come at a pivotal moment. Having dodged what could have been a debt-heavy acquisition, Netflix has the freedom and the cash to double down on its core strengths: original content spending and building a robust, scaled advertising platform. Whether the numbers deliver a binge-worthy performance or leave viewers wanting more, one thing is clear: the streaming wars are far from over, and Netflix is determined to keep its crown.
Expect plenty of drama when the figures drop after all, in the world of streaming, every quarter is its own cliffhanger.
