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<ul><li><keyword id="12297640" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shopify-india" source="Orion">Shopify India</keyword> launches Festive Shopping Outlook Report 2021. </li><li>The Indian Retail Sector can expect to cater to smarter, savvier shoppers this Diwali.</li></ul>Shopify India has released an exclusive industry trend report based on their 2021 Consumer Insights Survey. The Festive Shopping Outlook Report 2021 has been put together against the background of the pandemic, even as the Indian retail sector continues to witness radical changes when it comes to consumer behavior and buying patterns. The survey, conducted between September 15, 2021 to October 20, 2021 amongst 800 metro and non-metro Indian shoppers, reveals changing consumer shopping preferences heading into the <keyword id="36208" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season" source="Orion">festive season</keyword>. These trends will ultimately determine the course that the Indian retail sector will follow, by elevating consumer strategies and aligning themselves to the new order. The survey by Shopify India has been released to decode changing consumer trends and sentiments in the run-up to Diwali – one of India’s most important annual festivals, that also results in the largest shopping period in the country. At its core, the report is aimed at studying the impact that multiple lockdowns, shifting retail landscapes and a struggling economy have had on consumer pockets and mindsets. The Festive Shopping Outlook Report 2021 published nine major trends that emerged from the Consumer Insights Survey. Heightened confidence in e-tailers waters down traditional advance festive shopping The pull of last-minute discount deals along with short-lead/express delivery advantages offered by e-retailers have been instrumental in gaining consumer confidence. According to the report by Shopify India, 2 in 3 Indian shoppers had not started shopping for the festive season at the time of taking this survey. This is in sharp contrast to pre-pandemic traditional behaviors where festive shopping in India would kick off in full swing nearly a month in advance. Smaller Indian cities emerge as key e-shopping growth hubs Multiple factors such as India’s nationwide mobile penetration, brands opting to shift to a D2C model, enhanced last-mile delivery and customer-friendly return policies have been instrumental in bringing the millennial, non-metro shopper to opt for the digital medium. While online shopping – in the last decade – has largely been prevalent amongst consumers in tier-I Indian metropolitan cities, the pandemic has accelerated and driven this growth up the charts in tier-II cities and non-metros as well. According to Shopify’s Festive Shopping Outlook Report, 53.5% millennial shoppers from non-metros have displayed a strong preference to shop online. Health &amp; safety concerns push customers to adopt tech-enabled, family shopping experiences Even with increased vaccinations, consumers are wary of offline/physical shopping and in-person interactions. Convenience, value for money and personalization offered by online players has enhanced e-purchasing’s appeal. However, one thing remains the same – Indian shopping still continues to be a family affair! Half the respondents of the survey indicated that they will prefer involving their families even when shopping online during the festive season. Local businesses to win big as consumers wake up to the advantages of shopping locally Close to 58% respondents stated that they would prefer to support and shop from small online businesses during this year’s festive season. This is in sharp contrast to the usual skew towards high-end brands when it comes to gifting and festive shopping. Smaller retailers have managed to capture consumer attention and loyalty by offering a range of value for money options, along with individual attention and personalized experiences. These benefits, combined with the emotional pull that consumers feel towards extending support and encouragement to businesses that are fighting to survive, have been instrumental in driving e-sales at these small, local establishments. Festive gifting gets utility-focused Consumers are now leaning towards gifts with high functionality and utility value, as opposed to standard festive sweets or dry fruit tokens. Home confinements have led to consumers realizing the need to constantly upgrade or enhance their abodes. It comes as no surprise that home décor and furnishings topped this year’s festive shopping lists with over 50% respondents displaying preference to spend on gifts under this category. Big budgets parked for electronics, dimming the spotlight on jewellery Despite being considered auspicious as well as status symbols, gold and precious metal jewellery which have been traditional festive gifting favorites seem to have fallen out of favor with Indian shoppers this year. The pandemic has inspired consumers to put their money where major dependencies lie; in tech gadgets. This festive season, electronic gadgets are all set to command maximum consumer gifting budgets with close to 42% respondents to Shopify’s survey showcasing increased propensity towards it. High-speed internet connections and a heightened need to stay connected have increased consumer reliance on gadgets. This has translated onwards onto a large proportion of downsized festive budgets being allocated to electronic products this year. Consumer sentiment confirms that the online shopping boom is here to stay According to Shopify India’s Festive Shopping Report 2021, 76.9% Indian consumers show deep inclination towards online shopping this festive season because of the convenience it offers. While traditionally festive shopping has been an offline retail activity, pandemic-induced restrictions put in place to contain the virus forced most retail activity to move online. A practice that many consumers have got familiar with and also appreciate for the bouquet of benefits it has to offer. However, this year, even with the lifting of most restrictions, high vaccinations rates and a lower covid caseload in India, Shopify India has witnessed a continued preference for virtual retail. Contactless spending set to dominate the future of payments in India and in ‘Bharat’ With the pandemic necessitating contactless payments and boosting cashless transactions, cash is no longer king in an economy which was previously heavily reliant on cash. Armed with the second-largest mobile-user base globally, India has transitioned into the e-payments era on the back of easy, convenient and accessible UPI payment options. Nearly 50% respondents surveyed by Shopify stated that they preferred to process payments via UPI as opposed to any other form of transaction. Interestingly, the preference remains consistent across both, online and offline shopping experiences. Conclusion Diwali 2021 is set to witness the rise of a smarter, savvier Indian consumer generation which is highly dependent on technology and mobile connectivity. They now seek convenience and value over all else and have broken away from traditional token gifting. It can safely be said that this year, Indian consumers are planning their Diwali shopping with an eye on the future. A future which they are already scripting; one Rupee at a time.

Local businesses to win big as consumers wake up to the advantages of shopping locally: Shopify report

<ul><li>Due to the ongoing festive season, advertisers and brands are going all out to connect with consumers.</li><li>This year, the number of brands approaching influencers is significantly larger than last year, and there is a good mix of startups and well-established companies.</li><li>From fashion to home decor creators, brands have partnered with social media influencers to promote their new festive launch before Diwali.</li><li>So, with Diwali around the corner, we speak to <keyword id="2540701" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="influencer-marketing" source="Orion">influencer marketing</keyword> agencies to find out how important is the festive season for creators, what kind of uptick in demand can we expect due to the festive season, response from advertisers so far and trends we can look forward to during Diwali.</li></ul>If you are sprucing up your house on a small budget or planning to buy new accessories or ethnic dresses for India’s biggest festival -- Diwali, are you using a search engine for inspiration or are you following social media’s top influencers for ideas? If you are active on Instagram, then chances are you are also turning to influencers for festive advice. We all have at least a 100 bookmarked posts on Instagram for rangoli ideas, DIY home decor, or ethnic dress inspiration. According to Facebook’s Festive Marketing Guide for 2021, social media has now become a leading channel to drive brand discovery and purchase during the festive season. Facebook’s report further reveals that half the people said that influencers help them discover new products and 45% added that influencers help them make a purchase decision. The year 2020 accelerated influencer marketing’s growth, perhaps by a decade, and revolutionised the Indian marketing ecosystem completely. It is because of the pandemic and the consumer’s heavy reliance on social media platforms that the influencer marketing industry has undergone a severe transformation in a short time, becoming a mainstream marketing vehicle. According to the latest figures in the Global Web Index (GWI), the average Indian spent 2.29 hours per day on social media in 2020 and as always, brands are following consumers where they spend the most time. So, this Diwali, from fashion to home decor creators, brands have partnered with social media influencers to promote their new product launches. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Growth so far and predictions for this festive season" text="Growth so far and predictions for this festive season">Growth so far and predictions for this festive season</cmsannotation> GroupM and INCA’s study revealed that influencer marketing has become a top priority for marketers this year. Every other leader indicated a budget growth of more than 25% in 2021. INCA’s report further said that the Influencer Marketing industry is poised to grow at a CAGR of 25% for the next decade, reaching a size of Rs 2200 crore in 2025. So, with India’s biggest festival around the corner and to leverage the increasing demand, brands have also increased their budget for influencer marketing. “Influencer Marketing is set to be one of the top choices for brands to enhance the brand value this festive season. In fact, brands have culled out almost 30% of the overall budget for influencer marketing. It has been on an all-time high this year. According to an industry report, brands are likely to spend around Rs 600 crore on influencer marketing. Thus, one thing is definite about influencer marketing this festive season: It’s going to take a big leap from 2020. The primary reason for the rise in influencer marketing is the personalization of content along with the disruption in cost and speed. Influencers are real and relatable for consumers and can deliver real value for brands by offering exciting ways of sharing a brand’s message,” said <keyword id="11300089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="neel-gogia" source="Orion">Neel Gogia</keyword>, Co-Founder, IPLIX Media. Festive season has given a further push to the industry’s growth. Experts are expecting to see 50% more brands exploring influencer marketing this festive season as marketers look to solidify their social media presence and reach out to the group with highest spending power, GenZ and millennials. "The festive season is already looking very positive for the influencer marketing space. We expect a 50% uptick in brands leveraging influencers to connect with their audiences during this season,” said Sagar Pushp, Co-founder and CEO, ClanConnect. “Since the consumer sentiment had plummeted gravely in 2020, brands are looking forward to explosive growth and pent up demand that will translate to greater sales and revenues this year. Brands are likely to capitalize on this positive sentiment by tapping into the influencer marketing space, which will in turn provide a significant fillip to our industry,” added Pushp. Apaksh Gupta, Founder &amp; Chief Executive Officer of One Impression also said that brands have increased their budget by 50% this year. “Last year, brands had spent very little on their marketing efforts because of the pandemic restrictions and other factors, but the curbs are now eased out and traders are expecting a boost in sales. To put things in perspective, last year we saw brands spending about Rs 20-25 lakh [average] on their influencer campaigns, but this year we expect it to go beyond Rs 50 lakh [on an average] during festive seasons. Additionally, during the pandemic, we also witnessed a boom in the creator economy, and brands have taken note of it. Social media platforms have enabled brands to reach out to a wider audience with the help of influencers who help in putting their messages across, in a more personalized and creative manner, what we nowadays call as snackable content.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="This festive season, a diverse set of brands are upping their spends on influencer marketing" text="This festive season, a diverse set of brands are upping their spends on influencer marketing">This festive season, a diverse set of brands are upping their spends on influencer marketing</cmsannotation> After going through a lull for a year and a half, startups like MamaEarth, Slurrp Farm to established brands and FMCG giants, all key players are leveraging influencer marketing for better visibility and consumer attention. There’s another interesting shift in the industry after the pandemic. Brands are leveraging influencer marketing not just for brand awareness and engagement but also for performance marketing and driving customer acquisition through relevant targeting. Sharing which categories are the biggest spenders this time, <keyword id="7372416" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="viraj-sheth" source="Orion">Viraj Sheth</keyword>, Co- founder and CEO, Monk Entertainment said, “FMCG brands, e-comm players, and FinTech clients I believe will be massive spenders. Brands that are selling products that are best suited for festive gifting will be heavy spends and FinTech clients that help buy digital gold or provide buy now pay later schemes will be in demand as well.” Avantika Mohan, Travel, Lifestyle and Fashion Influencer, represented by WORD Talent, has also seen more lifestyle brands coming her way lately. She said, “I’ve noticed an influx of briefs focusing on fashion (particularly festive wear), online shopping portals and jewelry; brands across these categories along with technology and cosmetics are investing heavily in this festive season, which should go on till the end of the year. Festivals also become an excellent opportunity for brands to offer additional discounts and offers to drive up sales hence brands work with creators to spread the word on the same. It’s an exciting time. Brands are willing to not just work but also allow the creativity of the influencer to drive the content. Brands now understand that the content that creators push can drive real value for them and their products. Our niche allows them to connect with their target audiences directly with content that is fun, relevant and most importantly seasonal. The air is already abuzz with celebration and brands are pushing their seasonal marketing ideas and products that creators are exhilarated to deliver.” Brands with smaller budgets are also partnering with nano-creators. <keyword id="3630874" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dharika-merchant" source="Orion">Dharika Merchant</keyword>, COO, Alchemy Group &amp; WORD said, “Brands are now dedicating special budgets for their influencer marketing campaigns which have resulted in a lot of new brands entering the space. Brands earlier would focus only on large creators but now they’re happy to have smaller spendings but are willing to explore relevant nano or micro influencers for the same. So as we move forward, we are forecasting a more focussed approach towards influencer engagement as compared to before. Brands are now becoming conscious of which creator they want to work with, what kind of content they want to push out and majorly why the creator’s creative process shouldn’t be hampered with. Secondly, we are expecting more brands focussing on micro or nano influencers. These influencers usually cater to a very specific niche and have a higher rate of engagement. As brands start to realise the importance of content over numbers, this is a trend we’re very excited about.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Instagram or home-grown apps, which medium is getting the biggest piece of pie?" text="Instagram or home-grown apps, which medium is getting the biggest piece of pie?">Instagram or home-grown apps, which medium is getting the biggest piece of pie?</cmsannotation> As brands vie for consumer’s attention this Diwali, which is divided into different mediums, where are brands investing the most? “2021 is seeing comparatively more inclination towards influencer marketing strategies. We are seeing a growth upwards of 75% in the influencer marketing industry. Instagram is still the leader when it comes to influencer marketing promotions. YouTube would be the other platform that has gained momentum over time. Even some of the newer short video apps like Josh, Taka Tak and Moj are also being experimented with, by the brands. Increasingly we are also seeing brands leverage content created by creators for performance marketing with Instagram Branded Content Ads and Youtube Creator Promotions for maximum reach and conversion,” Arushi Gupta, Head - Influencer.in told Ad and Media Insider. GenZ and millennials do not consume a lot of television. They either spend their free time scrolling on social media or on an OTT platform. They are looking for authentic content that keeps them engaged, entertained and informed, which happens to be influencer marketing’s core offering. Therefore, influencer marketing is becoming a pivotal marketing tool for brands and its significance is only likely to grow in the future.

As brands turn to influencer marketing for the festive season, experts are optimistic about seeing about a 40-50% growth in ad spends

<ul><li>The sluggish two quarters of this fiscal and dull results of auto, FMCG, real estate, apparel, telecom indicate that the upcoming <keyword id="36208" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season">festive season</keyword> will not bring profitability. </li><li>However, the first half of the year was unusual, unprecedented that the ad industry took a nosedive to as low as -60%. </li><li>Experts are hopeful that the festive season will bring in cheer and serve as a respite from the pandemic-associated slumber. </li></ul>This year, Diwali or Ganapati won’t be about bursting crackers on the street and meeting family to exchange sweets. It will be all virtual, about being there for each other in tough times and celebrating small victories. This festive season, like this year, is unusual, which has made many marketers rethink their strategies and understand consumer behaviour closely to come up with out-of-box solutions. The progress of advertising industry has always been in tandem to consumer sentiment and about 40-45% of the annual ad spends in India happen between Raksha Bandhan and New Year. This year, when ad revenue had reached as low as -60% in April, a lot of hopes are banking on the festive season for industry’s overall revival. In many ways, advertising is a lag and lead indicator for our country -- if the country's GDP is growing at 8%, advertising grows at 12%. If GDP falls, ad revenue falls even lower. With a steady monsoon and plump harvest so far, experts are hopeful that the festive season will bring cheer for the industry. It will help the ad world bounce back to normalcy. <keyword id="248051" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ashish-Bhasin">Ashish Bhasin</keyword>, CEO - APAC and Chairman India, Dentsu Aegis Network Asia said, “In the month of April, we were -60%. I think we will end this calendar year at probably around -15 to -20% decline in the advertising market, which means the second half will have to do better than the first half. It may not be as good as last year, which in itself wasn’t a great period, however it will start improving and coming closer. Monsoon season is looking good, so our rural economy should do well. For many categories now there is saturation in terms of penetration at least in metros, so a lot of growth will come from Tier II, III and rural areas. So if the rains continue and we have a good harvest, there will be more money in the pockets of the rural consumers and that will help the demand. With the advent of the festive season, hopefully, COVID cycle goes down by that time, coupled with a good harvest, demand going up and sentiment improving, I think by around Diwali we will see some signs of normality returning.” Priti Murthy, CEO, OMD India said, “The festive season will bring in cheer and serve as a respite from the pandemic-associated slumber. Our recently conducted survey states how the general news consumption has significantly increased during the lockdown period. With an increase in music streaming, online games, and cooking shows, and re-runs of popular shows from the 80’s &amp; 90’s making a comeback, the ad revenue cycle is all geared up during the festive season.” This Indian festive season is coupled with IPL, which is a gigantic festival in itself that drives advertising industry’s revenue and holds the power to alter market sentiment. While sans-Vivo, OOH and no activitations, Navin Khemka, CEO, MediaCom South Asia still believes IPL will help put ad industry back to 2019’s growth trajectory. “Given that IPL is confirmed, we can expect this year's festival season to be equal to 2019. Last year, the last quarter was approx. Rs 24,000 crore and this year we expect the number to remain constant,” said he. Digital taking the bigger chunk of the pie With the lockdown in Mumbai, which is the creative hub and houses many Indian agencies, Sandeep Sreekumar, Managing Director, Media Moments is looking forward to seeing some creative storytelling made from the inside of four walls on digital mediums this year. "We feel this new phase will bring in new opportunities for the brands to showcase exceptional creativity and storytelling by integrating messages like social distancing, and work from home into their ads.” Sreekumar thinks digital will lead the game as advertisers have been shifting their monies from traditional to virtual platforms. “Digital platforms like Instagram Shop along with other channels including Facebook, Google and OTT platforms are likely to garner the advertiser’s attention across categories which will eventually lead to a significant upsurge in the digital ad revenue. Though, the consumer might still be a little skeptical about spending, the arrival of festivals and the announcement of IPL are likely to change their mindset for the better. We are excited to witness the trends unfold and see the new normal for the advertising industry that will lend an engaging experience to the customers through wit, humour and emotions,” said Sreekumar. Murthy is hoping that print will also see an increase in advertisers’ volume this festive season. “Digital and Print will definitely see an influx during the festive period, and OTT will be the new arena that will see more brands coming in. Also, TV will witness a spike due to IPL being held at the same time.” Khemka pointed out that brands will not go too big on media spendings as they have become cautious of what they are spending on. He said, “Due to the pandemic, TV &amp; Digital will be the biggest gainers. They will grow at the expense of the other mediums. There is cautious optimism with brands. Given the state wise lockdown is affecting sentiment, brands will be cautious before they commit big monies on media.” Auto industry, e-commerce and other virtual brands to lead the growth Experts opined that auto will see a boom because consumers are now avoiding public transport. Other categories that popped up in our discussion were EduTech, E-commerce and OTT. “Auto is likely to bounce back because people are looking for private transportation. E-commerce, EduTech, telecommunications will all bounce back first because data consumption has gone up but the market has been pretty depressed for them also. So hopefully that will pick up. FMCG demand is quite stable, one category that continued to advertise despite the lockdown because they were under the essential category, they will be steady. Once the feel-good factor starts, entertainment will start coming back. Film, digital and TV production starts, they will come back. Real estate will continue seeing a slump unless there is a big economic pick-up. So overall, it will be a mixed bag,” said Bhasin. Murthy also shared her optimism about spends from the auto and IT industry. “Auto has already begun seeing this trend as personal mobility is a higher need in the COVID and post-COVID era. Seeking a digitally enhanced and technologically superior experience across business verticals, IT is an area that showcases an enormous potential, too. Additionally, OTT platforms are also slated to bounce back with all their diverse content.” Consumers to continue being wary about their spendings With the economic downturn and uncertainty still looming around, consumer sentiment might suffer this festive season. Sharing what consumers are likely to spend on, Khemka said, “Given the pandemic I think the consumer has now become more rational. They are spending more on technology, equipment, health &amp; immunity boosters on one hand. However, they have also become cautious on discretionary expenses that can wait for some more time given the tough economic scenario. Also, the list of essentials and non-essentials is being redefined. Murthy said that the trends so far have only indicated that consumer sentiment is improving, which is more likely to continue growing during festive. “According to our OMG study, an average daily time spent across OTT platforms is over 95 minutes. Besides, online video and social media have emerged as the top entertainment mediums among Indians, allowing for a great scope of ad spend to be incorporated. It’s definitely an optimistic picture,” said Murthy.

A lot of hope rests on the festive season this year, but will it bring cheer?

<keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> is likely to witness record sales of smartphones this festive season, at around $7.7 billion (over $61,000 crore), and 1 out of every 3 smartphones sold during the festive season will be 5G enabled, a report showed on Tuesday. E-commerce channels are expected to capture 61 per cent of the overall sales, down from 66 per cent last year, according to Counterpoint Research. The smartphone retail average selling price (<keyword id="218869" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="asp" source="Orion">ASP</keyword>) during the festive season will grow 12 per cent to reach its highest ever at $242, although the unit sales may decline by 9 per cent (on-year). India's smartphone market is entering this festive season with the highest ever channel inventory of over 10 weeks, the report noted. "The festive season has been the highlight of India's smartphone market where almost 20 per cent of the annual sales happen over four-five weeks. Hence, this festive period is important for all the players in the value chain," said senior analyst <keyword id="9638737" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="prachir-singh" source="Orion">Prachir Singh</keyword>. This year, the sales will start on September 23 with Amazon's Great India Festival and Flipkart's Big Billion Days. "According to our forecast, the festive season smartphone sales will account for around $7.7 billion, the highest ever. However, we estimate a 9 per cent YoY decline in terms of shipments. We have seen a similar trend in China's 618 festival this year, where shipments declined 10 per cent YoY," Singh noted. The festive shopping season will end with the Diwali sale. According to Research Director <keyword id="1943940" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tarun-pathak" source="Orion">Tarun Pathak</keyword>, the retail ASP (average selling price), similar to the total value, will be the highest ever and may record 12-15 per cent YoY growth. The consumer demand is likely to be high, especially in the mid-tier and premium segments. The various promotions and offers targeting the Rs 15,000 segments have already been announced by the brands and channels on social media. "The increasing affordability of these devices due to promotions and offers will drive their sales. This will be further supported by the 4G-to-5G migration. According to our estimates, one out of every three smartphones sold during the festive season will be a 5G smartphone," said <keyword id="6371466" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="pathak" source="Orion">Pathak</keyword>. In terms of channels, the offline market players are pushing promotions and offers that are on par with their online counterparts. "The entry-tier and budget segments have witnessed a considerable decline in recent quarters. However, we expect these segments to grow during the festive season, though the growth may be limited as the consumers in these segments have been under pressure due to macroeconomic headwinds," Pathak added. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/top-10-highest-tax-paying-companies-in-india-for-fy22/slidelist/94330332.cms">These companies paid the highest taxes in India in FY22</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/phonepe-paytm-myntra-reap-benefits-of-ipl-advertising-while-zomato-scored-over-swiggy-without-an-ipl-tv-ad-bobble-ai-report/articleshow/94331064.cms">PhonePe, Paytm, Myntra reap benefits of IPL advertising, while Zomato scored over Swiggy without an IPL TV ad-Bobble AI report</a>

India to see record smartphone sales worth ₹ 61,000 cr this festive season

As India gears up for its vibrant festive season, a notable surge in <keyword id="23052492" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="seasonal-hiring" source="keywords">seasonal hiring</keyword> is taking place across various industries, with gig roles leading the charge. According to data from job site Indeed, seasonal hiring is projected to rise by 20% this year compared to last, driven primarily by <keyword id="19990771" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="e-commerce" source="keywords">e-commerce</keyword>, logistics, and retail sectors, as companies prepare for heightened consumer demand. Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales at Indeed India, emphasised, "The festive season is a crucial period for businesses across India, and we're seeing a significant uptick in hiring for seasonal roles as companies prepare to meet heightened consumer demand." <h3 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:14.0pt;margin-bottom:4.0pt;">What is gig work?</h3>Gig work refers to flexible, short-term, or freelance employment often facilitated by digital platforms. Unlike traditional full-time jobs, gig workers are hired on a project basis, allowing them to work for multiple employers or companies as needed. These roles are popular in industries like food delivery, transportation, and logistics. During India's <keyword id="21015356" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="festival-season" source="keywords">festival season</keyword>, when businesses experience a spike in demand, gig workers play an essential role in ensuring smooth operations across sectors like retail and e-commerce. <h3>Gig labour during festival season</h3>The festive season in India, spanning from September to December, is one of the busiest times of the year for businesses. As a result, companies ramp up hiring to cope with increased sales and customer demand. Seasonal roles in delivery, logistics, warehouse operations, and customer support see the highest demand, as businesses focus on timely deliveries, inventory management, and customer satisfaction. Indeed's data reveals that the top gig roles witnessing a rise in hiring this season include <keyword id="21462485" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delivery-executives" source="keywords">delivery executives</keyword>, <keyword id="22103182" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="warehouse-workers" source="keywords">warehouse workers</keyword>, <keyword id="23052493" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="logistics-coordinators" source="keywords">logistics coordinators</keyword>, <keyword id="23052494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="in-store-sales-executives" source="keywords">in-store sales executives</keyword>, and customer care executives. While major cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi see a steady increase in demand for gig workers (18-20%), tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Nagpur, Jaipur, and Vadodara are emerging as key contributors, witnessing a hiring surge of 22-25%. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112999246" title="As fast as some jobs are growing, others are losing steam" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h3><keyword id="3480589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="meesho" source="Orion">Meesho</keyword> major contributor</h3>One of the standout examples this festive season is Meesho, a leading e-commerce marketplace in India. According to sources, the platform has enabled around 8.5 lakh seasonal job opportunities, representing a 70% increase from last year. Of these, 5 lakh jobs were created within Meesho's seller network, while another 3.5 lakh jobs emerged in the logistics sector. Sourabh Pandey, CXO of Fulfilment and Experience at Meesho, shared, "This festive season, we are particularly thrilled to have enabled 8.5 lakh seasonal jobs, especially in tier-3 and beyond cities. Empowering SMBs, local manufacturers, and logistics providers to scale their business is resulting in meaningful economic opportunities that are driving financial inclusion in these regions." Meesho has reportedly also partnered with prominent third-party logistics providers such as Delhivery, Ecom Express, and Shadowfax to meet the increased demands of the festive season. These collaborations have not only expanded logistics capacity but also helped generate gig opportunities in first-mile, middle-mile, and delivery associate roles. Abhishek Bansal, CEO &amp; Co-founder of Shadowfax, commented, "We are particularly excited to nearly double our capacity across several value-added services, such as Reverse Quality Check-Based Pickups and Hand-to-Hand Doorstep Exchange. These efforts ensure smooth deliveries and returns during the festive rush." <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112720685" title="If you want to find a job, it&amp;#39;s time to specialize" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h3 style="line-height:1.2;margin-top:14.0pt;margin-bottom:4.0pt;">The future of gig work in India</h3>The rapid rise in <keyword id="23052491" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gig-hiring" source="keywords">gig hiring</keyword> reflects the evolving needs of today's consumers, particularly during high-demand periods like the festive season. The e-commerce industry, which saw a 35% rise in demand for seasonal workers, is expected to continue driving this trend, with logistics and retail sectors close behind. "The industries that are growing — e-commerce, logistics, quick commerce — are doing so because they're aligned with the needs and behaviours of today's consumers,” Sashi Kumar explains. “This is where the future of India's <keyword id="19916569" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="job-market" source="keywords">job market</keyword> could be heading". With a flurry of companies contributing significantly to job creation, particularly in tier-3 and tier-4 cities, gig work is becoming a vital source of employment across the country. As India's job market evolves, gig work is likely to play an even larger role in shaping the future of work, offering flexibility and economic opportunity to millions of workers. (With inputs from agencies)

E-commerce is expected to help seasonal hiring for gig roles surge by 20% this festival season: reports

<ul><li>The first half of 2020 was so unusual and unprecedented that the ad industry took a nosedive to as low as -60%.</li><li>Businesses of all kinds and sizes suffered and put their advertising activities on hold to give their consumers space to process the unprecedented times.</li><li>So, after a year and a half of lull, brands and advertisers went all out with their marketing activities during the festive season this year. Consumers were extra excited to step out, shop zealously and as most research studies reflected, Diwali exceeded expectations and broke previous records.</li><li>So, we speak to media experts and digital agencies to find out if the advertising industry has managed to bounce back this year, discuss the industry’s spending so far and their expectations from the last festival of the season, Christmas.</li></ul>After a year and a half of celebrating festivals virtually, Indian consumers were excited to have some sense of normalcy back this year during the festive season. Advertisers and brands also went all out to leverage on this uptick in consumer sentiment, starting from Raksha Bandhan to Diwali. Experts were also hopeful that the festive season will bring in cheer and serve as a respite from the pandemic-associated slumber. According to Redseer Consulting, 2021 saw India witness its biggest ever Festive Sales with brands clocking a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of $9.2 billion through online channels over this period. Online Festive Sales in India continued to grow at a blistering pace and saw a 23% YoY growth in GMV. On the other hand, the categories that witnessed subdued growth this year included the likes of home furnishings, home decor, furnishings and other electronics. Looking back at 2020, Eeshita Ghosh, General Manager and Office Head, Motivator Bangalore said, “The festival of 2021 is definitely better than 2020 and as high if not more than 2019. The ad volume started picking up from Q3 of 2021 and with more than 20% growth over 2019 Q3. The festival months saw multiple new advertisers getting active, approximately 2000+ new advertisers are active in media. The inventory was full, and the market sentiments were very positive. With festival and IPL, media was very active with multiple new categories.” A lot of hopes were banking on the festive season for the industry's overall revival, however, unlike Ghosh, Neena Dasgupta, CEO &amp; Director, Zirca Digital Solutions was a little disappointed; not with the numbers but with overall creativity. Explaining why, Dasgupta said, “Honestly, the performance fell short of expectations. Not only in terms of volume but also the kind of activities. I felt our methods possibly regressed a bit to remain cautious and conservative. Innovative ideas were few and yet each of them benefited. The consumer is now more aware and it’s time we took their psychometric into consideration. And at times where media dollars need to be more efficient and effective, we have to embrace tech that allows us to capture the consumer mindset and then deploy media buys across mediums.” Sharing how the festive season has panned out so far for the advertising industry, Dasgupta added, “It’s been an interesting festive season. There was exuberance in the consumer spirit and it reflected in some categories. And yet the exuberance didn’t necessarily translate into communication to the same scale. This was possibly a combination of inflation, economic imbalance at consumer levels and some category constraints that impacted sales. What was interesting g though was the growth in rural activities at the consumer end and advertising end too. Every medium had its share. And fintech growth made some aspirations real for this segment. We now have a fascinating growth story for Bharat.” With a steady monsoon and plump harvest so far, it was a cheerful year for rural India as well. They spent their harvest festivals with more enthusiasm and happiness to share with their loved ones. Brands also left no stone unturned to expand their marketing activities beyond metro and Tier I cities this year. In fact, this year, Tier II and III had the lion’s share in e-commerce spends. Will we return to 2019’s ad spends? After June, the advertising industry’s performance picked up by leaps and bounds. Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh Chaturthi and ace festival Diwali, improved consumer sentiment and helped the advertising industry to bounce back. But have we returned to 2019’s levels? “The ADEX numbers for October and November are yet to come, but as we observed from our billing, we are positive that it has bounced back to 2019 levels,” said Ghosh. Dasgupta told Advertising and Media Insider that regional and rural markets exceeded 2019’s performance but some markets are yet to reach there. Decoding media dispersion this festive season While there was buoyancy across the board, television got the most attention from advertisers yet again, followed by digital. Talking about medium dispersion, Monaz Todywalla, CEO at PHD Media India said, “In terms of mediums, television and digital continue to drive impact and lead from the front, with digital playing a vital role in ensuring last-mile connectivity and driving sales across multiple touchpoints. Raman Mittal, CMO and Co-Founder, TO THE NEW was delighted to see digital getting a bigger piece of pie than 2020. He said, "COVID revolutionized the way people shop. We saw businesses go all out on digital channels this Diwali season to communicate with potential clients. Companies have adjusted their attention on digital marketing to stay up with new shopping channels and get the biggest piece of the pie as a result of continual digital transformation." "Interaction and Influencers were the two themes that peaked this festive season," Raman continued. "Giveaways, contests, and online polls were used to promote interactive content. In addition, the top celebrities were enlisted to help brands stand out amid the crowd. These tendencies, we believe, will last well into Christmas and New Year." Within digital, video got the most attention and while traditional advertisers continued to spend heavily, they were matched and at times exceeded by online services/startups. Mihir Karkare, Cofounder and EVP of Mirum India said, "The videos ruled the roost this festive season. Online video platforms were in great demand – YouTube and OTT were the preferred choices for brands. Apart from Diwali, all the cricketing action also contributed heavily towards increased advertising spends. From a 'growth of share' standpoint, Influencer marketing as come of age." Hopes rest on Christmas Christmas is the last festival of the year. Will it give an additional impetus and help the advertising industry exceed 2019’s performance? “Christmas is a bit low, but we have seen many advertisers continuing with the momentum built during the Q3 period. I expect Q4 to be like Q2 and will be higher than Q4 of 2020 and close to 2019 Q4,” answered Ghosh. PHD Media’s Todywalla is optimistic that the momentum will continue and brands will keep up with their marketing blitzkrieg. “With consumers showing an increased propensity to spend, pent-up demand from brands translating into a bouquet of launches - complimented by high-decibel marketing campaigns, and an overall increase in consumption and sales from all corners of the media and entertainment ecosystem, the festivities have ushered in a season that's peppered with a healthy dose of optimism. We believe this wave of hope and optimism is expected to be carried forth into the coming year too," said Todywalla. With a huge push from key festivals such as Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and Raksha Bandhan, cautious optimism continues to thrive in the advertising industry.

Has 2021’s festive season given India’s advertising industry a big enough push to recover from the 2020 after-effect?

Luxury carmakers <keyword id="19980471" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mercedes-Benz" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Mercedes-Benz" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Mercedes-Benz">Mercedes-Benz</keyword>, <keyword id="19911529" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Audi" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Audi" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Audi">Audi</keyword>, and <keyword id="19911528" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BMW" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BMW" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BMW">BMW</keyword> are eyeing robust sales during the festive period this year with demand for <keyword id="20194571" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="High-end-cars" source="keywords">high-end cars</keyword> continuing to see an upward trend in India. In an interaction with PTI, Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO Santosh Iyer said the luxury car segment is set for its best-ever performance this year with <keyword id="19894908" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Festive-season" source="keywords">festive season</keyword> offtakes playing a major role in the overall performance. He noted that the festive season generally gives high double-digit <keyword id="20040491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sales-growth" source="keywords">sales growth</keyword>, helping the automaker to average out single-digit growth of the earlier quarter. "So in that sense, on an average, then we are able to get a double-digit growth during the festive season," Iyer stated. Elaborating on the overall industry, which still remains a very small part of the overall passenger vehicle market in the country, he said the segment is headed for record volumes this fiscal year but not all players are witnessing growth." Some (companies) are even degrowing, some are flat and they are facing headwinds, but because we are the primary player in the market, we still feel the luxury car market should cross 50,000-51,000 cars this year," Iyer said. The luxury car market in India currently remains very small accounting for less than 2 % of the overall passenger vehicle market in the country. Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon said the automaker anticipates positive buying trends to continue during the festive season. "Our best-selling models - the A4, A6, Q3, Q3 Sportback, Q5, Q7, and the newly launched Q8 - continue to drive robust demand," he added. The company is equally optimistic about the e-tron range, the e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT, Dhillon said. BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah said the fundamentals of the Indian economy are sturdy and consumer confidence in the luxury segment is on the rise. "For BMW Group India, the order bank is solid and we are trying our best to speed up deliveries for our customers. Along with additional bookings around Diwali and Dussehra, we are confident of closing the year on a high note while clocking impressive growth," he stated. He noted that the group is witnessing very strong demand for products across all segments. Pawah said that in the run-up to the festive season, the company has introduced several special editions of its existing model range. The festive season usually commences with Onam and ends with Diwali every year.

Luxury carmakers Mercedes, Audi, BMW expect robust sales this festive season

<ul><li><keyword id="248229" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nikhil-Mathur">Nikhil Mathur</keyword>, Managing Director of GfK in India writes how the consumer sentiment improved during the <keyword id="36208" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season">festive season</keyword> and why marketers should continue investing on <keyword id="618493" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-marketing">digital marketing</keyword>. </li><li>With the drastic alteration in media consumption, this festive season offers opportunities for marketers to connect with consumers like never before.</li></ul>The global Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly changed the world as we know it. Lifestyles have changed, consumers are buying differently and, in many instances, thinking differently. Supply chains have been challenged and retailers are closing doors. Consumers in every part of the world are now looking at products and brands through a new lens. COVID-19 is reshaping the entire retail industry in real-time, rapidly building consumer preferences that have never been easy to change. It is safe to say that new habits formed now will endure beyond this crisis, permanently changing what we value, how and where we shop, and how we live and work. Consumers are deeply concerned about the impact of COVID-19, both from a health and economic perspective. People are responding in a variety of ways and have diverse attitudes, behavior and purchasing habits. With increasing concerns about individual safety, customers are shifting towards the deep end of the online commerce pool and have shown a remarkably high level of dexterity and comfort in online shopping. According to GfK Consumer Pulse Report, 69% of consumers now prefer the online channel of purchases to avoid crowds. Additionally, the home culture is likely to outlast the Covid-19 phase. It has significantly resulted in a huge business opportunity across product categories. Consumers are buying electronics to support this lifestyle, thereby creating a sales boost in the industry. The @home lifestyle has put the spotlight on the importance of “convenience” shopping, governing the kind of products consumers will buy. This factor has given a big fillip to digital commerce, as new consumers migrate online for grocery shopping – a growth that is likely to survive beyond the pandemic. Our survey indicates that 44% of consumers consider online as their most preferred purchase channel for mobile/smartphones, even after the lockdown situation eases, while 73% prefer buying consumer electronics/appliances from e-commerce websites and 26% prefer buying from brand websites. These changing trends in consumer buying behavior and the increasing preference of purchase channel towards online retail has created an unprecedented challenge for companies seeking to engage with customers. Whether changes in marketing direction are motivated by market and industry conditions, changing consumer behavior or the need to stay competitive and cost-effective, it is highly recommended that companies focus on increasing their marketing efficiencies and customer retention. This is also reflected from <a href="https://www.gfk.com/home" target="_blank">GfK</a> study highlighting that 84% of manufacturers plan to invest in online commerce for 2020 as a response to the changing business climate. Unsurprisingly, the pandemic has hit the marketing industry hard. According to the GfK survey, Branding and Marketing in the New Abnormal, 73% of marketing leaders across Asia stated that their marketing budgets have decreased, with those in FMCG and healthcare experiencing the hardest hit. Simultaneously, marketing KPIs have also shifted, with maximizing the marketing effectiveness increasingly becoming the most important KPI for marketers. It is important to note here that while most of the KPIs in the pre-covid times focused on both the online and offline retail, the approach now has shifted. Digital transformation is now considered as one of the top priorities (56%) of marketers. This shift was reflected in freeform answers around how KPI measurement has changed, with respondents indicating a ‘shift to purely digital tactics’ and a ‘shift to online businesses”. Indeed, as online sales from changing consumer preferences continue to grow, we can expect this need to focus on digital transformation to continue. While KPIs may not have changed, their form has. Marketers’ desire to move towards digital platform reflects the need to focus on internal and external channel tracking, measurement, and effectiveness. With the drastic alteration in media consumption, this festive season offers opportunities for marketers to connect with consumers like never before. Consumers are discovering brands on social media, and businesses need to focus on solutions that are relevant for the new normal, such as hyper-localization, creating virtual experiences, re-looking at the media-mix to build efficiency and effectiveness. Moreover, the lockdown has only increased user’s media consumption habits, with an increased viewership for OTT content, urging brands to invest in some relevant touchpoints to help them achieve their targets. Not surprisingly, industry experts are advising marketers to leverage social media to drive brand discovery this season. With discretionary spends decreasing and value-consciousness increasing, marketers need to enter the consumer’s consideration set, eventually helping consumers in their purchase decisions. Brand managers are trying to strike a balance in offline and online retail experience giving the importance of both the purchase channels. Hence, as brand managers are focusing on product innovation strategy to allure the consumers, they are equally invested in the retail innovation to address vast swathes the nation. Getting digital right In this post-pandemic environment, it is important to have a roadmap that reflects the pace of digital adoption: <ul><li>The digital efforts of brand marketers should quickly focus on using data analytics to respond to evolving customer needs, improve business operations and increase agility to fulfil customer expectations across multiple touchpoint. </li><li>It is also crucial for brand marketers to benchmark their digital channels against competition and identify the metrics that are relevant for the brand purpose. Look at the bigger picture and set quantitative and qualitative KPIs to achieve overarching brand objectives. </li><li>In addition, bolster your digital competencies to deliver speed and innovation, and create authentic and meaningful experiences for your audiences in order to achieve long-term brand success.</li></ul>The crucial factor here is innovation; marketers who don’t realize or understand this or cannot innovate fast enough will perish and those who can adapt themselves, will sustain and thrive.

How brands unlocked their marketing budgets during festive season

<ul><li>Urban Indians’ festive spending intent has improved since last year.</li><li>YouGov’s Diwali Spending Index shows a higher buying propensity than last year.</li></ul>The festive season has commenced in India and now everyone is eagerly awaiting the festival of lights. Although brands are betting big on Diwali to light up sales, are consumers ready to shop again? YouGov’s Diwali Spending Index, an indicator of the spending intent among Indian consumers, reveals a spending propensity of 90.71 among urban Indians this festive season. Even though it is below average (of 100), the intent to spend is higher than last time (80.96), indicating a recovering appetite to spend among urban Indians. <div type="image" title="image005" msid="85999954" hostid="261"></div> The Index is calculated as a weighted impact of 10 factors (like increase in gross household income, increase/decrease in household expenses, intent to invest or splurge and general optimism towards economy) on their intent to spend more/less this Diwali season versus last. Among the 10 factors, the number one driver for people to spend more this year is their anticipation for the festival. Nearly a third (31%) agreed with the statement “I am looking forward to Diwali this year since the rest of the year has been quite dull because of Covid-19”. With nearly two years having passed and shoppers having no opportunity to spend, this is likely to be the factor that has improved the overall sentiment to spend more this Diwali as compared to last. Even though there is improvement, the biggest barrier to spending continues to be the same as last year. Close to 50% respondents last year said they are more careful with their finances today than they used to be in the past. And now a similar proportion (43.6%) said the same thing, indicating the fear of the uncertain is still strong among the public. Given 2021 witnessed a devastating wave of covid, despite excitement among the public for Diwali this year, the consumer sentiment is yet to match the pre-pandemic times. <div type="image" title="image006" msid="85999964" hostid="261"></div> Data shows that only 17% of the respondents said they were likely to spend more than last year during Diwali in 2020. In 2021, this number has increased and now 29% said they will spend more this year. While the spending intent is yet to go back to normal (pre-pandemic times), we see a marked improvement since last year and this is good news for brands trying to woo consumers this festive season. In YouGov’s Diwali series, we will see the impact of the pandemic on consumers’ buying sentiment across different sectors to see if the upcoming festive season can be a game-changer for businesses and brands.Methodology: This survey has been conducted on a sample of 2000 respondents on the YouGov India’s online panel in August 2021. The sample primarily constitutes consumers from NCCS A and B; and matches the population numbers of urban India in terms of basic demographics like age, gender, regions and city tiers. The Index is calculated as a weighted impact of 10 factors (like increase in gross household income, increase/decrease in household expenses, intent to invest or splurge and general optimism towards economy) on their intent to spend more/less this Diwali season versus last. The Index has been derived using Ordinal Logistic Regression and Johnson’s Relative Weight modelling to understand the relationship between each of the factors and overall intention to spend more this Diwali amongst consumers. For the calculation of the final Index, two sets of weighted averages were calculated basis respondent data – 1) assuming an equal weightage for all factors (which has been used as the base); 2) with actual weightages for each of the factor derived from the regression and JRW analysis. The final Index = Actual weighted spending intent / Hypothetical spending intent assuming equal weightage to all 10 predictors

You Searched For "festive season india" and got 9 results

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E-commerce is expected to help seasonal hiring for gig roles surge by 20% this festival season: reports

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Has 2021’s festive season given India’s advertising industry a big enough push to recover from the 2020 after-effect?

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Luxury carmakers Mercedes, Audi, BMW expect robust sales this festive season

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How brands unlocked their marketing budgets during festive season

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Despite excitement among the public for Diwali this year, the consumer sentiment is yet to match the pre-pandemic times: YouGov Report

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