Quick Commerce: Brands ride ‘quick’ sleigh as quick commerce dons the Santa hat

The Christmas gifting season, driven by the convenience of quick commerce, delivered a significant business boost for direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands. Sales across categories such as personal care, desserts and other eatables, as well as activewear rose 20-30% from last year.The strong performance signals a shift in consumer priorities, with convenience, personalisation and premium offerings driving purchase decisions.

Gifting brand Ferns N Petals said sales rose 30% from early December. “Premium hampers have been a standout favourite,” said Avi Kumar, chief marketing officer at Ferns N Petals. “Gourmet cakes also saw heavy demand.”

Aadit Palicha, cofounder of Zepto, posted on LinkedIn that the quick commerce platform saw a threefold growth in sales for seasonal picks such as plum cakes and Christmas trees.New Categories

There was a doubling of gifting overall from last year, while products under the Christmas décor category registered a ninefold increase year-on-year, said Palicha.

Based on the trend, brands are expected to double down on quick commerce partnerships, new gifting-focused product categories, and marketing strategies to maintain this growth trajectory into the next year, analysts said.Beauty and personal care brand Pilgrim said there was significant consumer interest in skincare product gifting. Of the total sales of moisturisers and body lotions this month, 15-20% was attributed to gifting. This contrasts with previous years, when most gifts in the beauty and personal care category were products such as perfumes, according to Anurag Kedia, cofounder of Pilgrim.

“Consumers are looking at options that are seen as personal. Because this is about skincare and wellness… I think that is how natural traction has come. Some word-of-mouth has also helped,” he said.

“Customers are increasingly gravitating towards gifts that combine luxury and thoughtfulness, making these offerings our top sellers this festive season,” said Kumar of Ferns N Petals.

The wide adoption of quick commerce channels such as Zepto, Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart, along with newer entrants like Flipkart Minutes and Myntra MNow, was a key factor fuelling gifting-focused sales, enabling last-minute purchases with fast delivery, according to multiple brands.

Urban gardening startup Ugaoo, which saw a rise in demand for popular gifting items like Brazilian wood plants, lucky bamboo and jade plants, said it saw a “remarkable” spike in sales of festive staples such as Thuja and live Christmas trees on quick commerce platforms.

“We anticipate continued strong performance in gifting-worthy plants and gardening essentials as they resonate with consumers looking for thoughtful and meaningful presents,” said Siddhant Bhalinge, founder and chief executive of Ugaoo. “With the new year on the horizon, we also expect indoor plants and seed categories to see sustained growth.”

In the fitness and activewear space, there is a clear preference for gifting premium products like curated kits featuring mats and fitness accessories such as insulated bottles, resistance bands and fitness towels. These items have become popular choices for both individuals and corporate buyers, according to Krishna Chandak, cofounder of Tego Fit, a Mumbai-based brand specialising in fitness accessories and equipment.

He anticipates that the year-end season will account for 40% of the company’s total annual sales, with activewear continuing to drive most of the growth.

Dessert brand Poetry by Love & Cheesecake, which achieved double-digit growth during this period, emphasised various gifting options such as curated hampers and customised cakes, thanks to which it saw a strong sales performance, according to cofounder Ruchyeta Bhatia.

Homecare brand Beco’s online sales of parchment paper used for baking grew nearly fourfold, compared with its usual business, as more consumers shifted toward eco-friendly alternatives during a season famed for baking.