MUMBAI: From ACs to beauty products and even snacking items, consumers are increasingly going online to fill their shopping carts as heatwaves nudge them to stay indoors, at least during the peak afternoon hours. Online sales for Voltas through Amazon and Flipkart, for instance, have grown by 190% year-on-year between March-May 2024. The company's sales through its own website have grown by almost 60% YoY between April and May, a company spokesperson said.
The demand for ACs and coolers on Flipkart has almost doubled this May over the year-ago period. While the southern and eastern parts of the country dominated demand in April, the north (largely metros and tier-1 cities) - which has been reeling from a severe heatwave - joined its eastern counterparts to drive demand for cooling products for the platform in May. "Premium segments of 2 ton and higher have gained momentum.
..brands like Voltas, Godrej, Lloyd, Haier and Onida have gained share," said a company spokesperson.
On Amazon, orders for coolers surged from cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Pune and Hyderabad. For Panasonic India, 5-star inverter ACs contribute to 55% of its online AC sales, which is higher than industry average, said Fumiyasu Fujimori, MD at Panasonic Marketing India. E-commerce platforms - with their convenience of doorstep deliveries - continue to find traction among households, particularly when making large purchases.
Meanwhile, for daily essentials, small-ticket as well as impulse purchases,.