MAM
Online sales touch Rs 1.15 billion in festive season: IAMAI
MUMBAI: Festivals are almost synonymous with shopping and in the e-Age, more and more shoppers are doing that online.
According to a research undertaken by the The Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), the festival sales online jumped a whopping 117 per cent to Rs 1.15 billion this year from Rs 530 million in 2004-05.
Also, online sales clocked across 8,10,000+ transactions in three weeks delivered a 135 per cent increase in transactions as opposed to 3,45,000 transactions in 2004-05 during festival season.
The figures show that online shopping has truly come of age and consumers are keen to shop on the net. Festival Shopping is the prime time for multi-channel retailers to attract new shoppers.
What has also helped online marketers to seize a slice of the Rs 1.15 billion sales pie is effective customer communication on products coupled with reduced shipping costs and timely delivery.
According to IAMAI, these purchases accounted for 10+ per cent of total Indian online sales estimated at Rs 11.80 billion for this year sans travel categories over a three week festive period.
IAMAI president Preeti Desai said, “With e-commerce revenues to cross the Rs 11.80 billion for 2005-06 (IAMAI estimate) and a growing internet user base currently at 32+ million its been a sparkling Diwali and Eid in 2005-06 as e-commerce sales crossed to a whopping Rs 1.15 billion in three weeks period. Online retailers have consistently seen growing consumer interest in buying Diwali and Eid gifts online. Each festival season Indians seem to be leaving their shopping for the last minute and this year was no exception – as we sold 61 per cent of gifts in the two weeks prior to Diwali day, compared to 54 per cent last year.”
“The key reasons we have been able to deliver strong growth in the last two years is because of a broad product selection and the ever-expanding range of unique and unusual gift ideas offered as well as increased consumer confidence in shopping on the Internet. We are fairly confident about the next wave of Ecommerce where the “Younger Super Internet Consumers” who use the Internet in almost every facet of their life will push Internet Sales to levels most people are not likely to believe,” she further added.
Diwali and Eid 2005: Statistics on online sales
Revenues have risen by 117 per cent as sales increased from Rs 530 million in 2004-05 to Rs 1.15 billion in 2005-06 as consumers have become accustomed to purchasing online and look to the Internet to find comprehensive product information, competitive prices and easy gift delivery across geographies within India and outside India.
Approximately 4,15,000+ lakh Indians made purchases online this Diwali across more than 8,10,000 transactions. Average transaction value: Rs. 1420.
Shoppers were price and value conscious – Their Diwali shopping ranged from as little at Re 1 to as high as Rs 1,40,000. Consumers could choose from an online catalogue of more than 3,60,000 products. [Re 1 products refer to auctions]
In terms of products, different categories faced mixed fortunes. As last years, consumer electronics, such as digital cameras, mobile phones and accessories, DVD players and microwaves topped Diwali shopping list of consumers in most major cities. Followed by gifts (mithai, chocolates, dry fruit and flower hampers), apparel, jewellery and accessories (mainly watches). Crackers and educational toys also did well this Diwali.
Spurred by improved site usability, wider product assortment, better services and competitive prices consumers spent on multiple transactions online consumers had an appetite for higher-end products boosting numbers of products above Rs 7000. Gift certificates are still popular as sent instantly via email.
Across various member sites the most active online shopping days were typically five days before Diwali and Eid – 28 October – 3 November 2005 saw a dramatic surge in transactions. Dhanteras and Bhau Beej on 30 October and 3 November respectively saw a lift in silver and gold coins as well as jewellery.
Almost all websites offered 24 hour Express Delivery for ‘last minute shoppers’ on specific categories.
Shoppers spent more time in searching and comparing products with maximum shopping orders being placed between 6 – 10 pm. Interestingly consumers transacted from office, home and cybercafés.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
