In a bid to gain insights into the evolving preferences and spending habits of consumers during the upcoming festive season, Public App, India’s leading platform for local updates, recently conducted a comprehensive nationwide survey. With more than 8.7 Lakh responses, this survey offers valuable information on various aspects of festive celebrations, from budgeting and shopping to dining and travel, as well as gifting trends.
Festive Budget Planning:
- The survey revealed that 66% of respondents are diligent budget planners for their festival expenses. Kerala had the lowest percentage of budget planners at 40%, while Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana had the highest at 71%, 70%, and 74%, respectively.
- In terms of expenditure plans, about 54% of respondents are planning to increase or maintain their spending compared to last year with Karnataka (64%), Odisha (64%), and Andhra Pradesh (59%) having the highest percentages of respondents saying so.
- The survey also revealed that 52% of the respondents primarily spend on house cleaning and whitewash every year around Diwali. It is followed by 16% of respondents primarily spending on major appliances, 14% on renovations and home improvements, nearly 10% on gold and jewellery, and 7% on electronics. Notably, the top states primarily spending on house cleaning and whitewash are Madhya Pradesh (72%) and Chhattisgarh (70%), and on major appliance purchases are Assam (44%) and Gujarat (36%).
Shopping Priorities:
- For this year’s purchases during the Diwali season, out of the total respondents, 31% expressed a keen interest in purchasing apparel and clothing with the highest being in Tamil Nadu at 59% and Gujarat (47%). Approximately 13% of respondents showed an inclination towards purchasing jewellery with the highest interest found in Odisha (22%), and 13% expressed interest in acquiring big-ticket items such as real estate or automobiles, the highest being in Rajasthan (20%).
- A significant 52% of participants favoured local markets as their primary shopping destination, while 24% opted for the convenience of online marketplaces. It’s interesting to note that Kerala deviated from the norm, with only 26% preferring local markets and a majority of 38% opting for online shopping. In contrast, West Bengal displayed a nearly equal split, with approximately 37% of respondents favouring both local markets and online shopping.
- A whopping 68% of respondents admitted that sale advertisements significantly influence their festive shopping decisions. Interestingly, this trend was consistent across all states, with the majority acknowledging the impact of sale advertisements.
- Regarding finding better offers, variety, deals, and discounts during the festive season, 40% of the overall respondents mentioned that they find better offers online. Notably, Assam at 51%, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at 55% each had the highest percentages in this category.
Celebration Preferences:
- A substantial 76% of all respondents expressed a keen interest in attending entertainment and cultural events during the festive season. This trend remained consistent across all states, with the highest levels of interest found in Maharashtra (85%), Odisha (82%), and Karnataka (80%).
- Among overall respondents, 28% expressed enthusiasm for religious ceremonies and celebrations, with Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra leading at 39% and 36%, respectively. Meanwhile, 25% were inclined towards public festivals and fairs, with Kerala and Karnataka recording the highest percentages at 59% and 52%, respectively. Additionally, 20% preferred family gatherings and reunions, with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh having the highest percentages at 45% and 42%, respectively.
Festive Travel Plans:
- Festive travel plans are on the horizon for 69% of the overall respondents with the highest percentages in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Telangana with approximately 74% in all three states.
- When asked about travel companions, 46% of the overall respondents said they are planning to travel with family.
Gifting Traditions:
- Gift-giving is an integral part of the festive season, with 48% of the overall respondents exchanging gifts with family. Notably, the highest percentage of respondents engaging in gift exchanges with family were found in Tripura (73%), West Bengal (69%), Chhattisgarh (68%), and Jharkhand (63%).
- In terms of gift value, 67% of respondents would consider spending up to ₹1,500 on a single gift. Interestingly, we also found that the highest percentage of respondents willing to spend ₹3,000 or more on a single gift were in Odisha (35%) and Jharkhand (27%).
- During this festive season, the top three preferred gift categories among respondents are traditional apparel/clothing (40%), dry fruits and sweets (21%), and home decor items (14%). Notably, in state-specific data, Karnataka has the highest percentage (64%) of respondents preferring to gift traditional apparel/clothing. Whereas, the highest percentage of respondents preferring to gift electronic appliances were found in Kerala (20%). Additionally, jewellery was preferred in Kerala (17%), and dry fruits and sweets were popular in UP, Maharashtra, and Punjab (approximately 30% each).
| Public Poll: Festive Season 2023 | ||
| Question | Answer | Percentage |
| Do you make a budget for your festival expenses? | Yes | 65.9% |
| No | 34.1% | |
| As compared to the last year, how much are you planning to spend this festive season? | Less than last year | 45.8% |
| More or Same as last year | 54.2% | |
| Which of the following do you primarily spend on every year around Diwali? | House Cleaning and Whitewash | 52.5% |
| Major Appliance Purchases | 16.2% | |
| Renovations and Home Improvements | 14.1% | |
| Gold & Jewellery | 9.7% | |
| Electronics | 7.5% | |
| What are the main products you plan to buy this year around Diwali? (Choose multiple options) | Apparel/clothes | 31.4% |
| Electronics | 16.1% | |
| Home appliances | 15.2% | |
| Jewellery | 12.9% | |
| Big Purchases (Real Estate, Automobilec, etc.) | 13.2% | |
| Other | 11.4% | |
| Do ‘sale ads’ influence your festive shopping choices and decisions? | Yes | 68.6% |
| No | 31.4% | |
| Where do you find better offers, variety, deals and discounts during the festive season? | Online marketplaces | 39.8% |
| Local shops | 49.6% | |
| Malls | 10.5% | |
| Do you like to attend entertainment and cultural events during the festival season? | Yes | 75.7% |
| No | 24.3% | |
| What kind of events would you prefer to attend during the festive season? | Public Festivals and Fairs | 25.6% |
| Family Gatherings and Reunions | 19.7% | |
| Religious Ceremonies and Celebrations | 27.9% | |
| Charity and Social Service | 8.6% | |
| None, I prefer to stay home | 18.1% | |
| Are you planning to travel during this festival season? | Yes | 68.8% |
| No | 31.2% | |
| Who are you planning to travel with? | Friends | 24.2% |
| Family | 46.4% | |
| Solo | 10.2% | |
| Not traveling | 19.2% | |
| Who do you typically exchange gifts with during the festive season? (Can choose more than one option) | Friends | 35.2% |
| Family | 48.3% | |
| Colleagues | 16.5% | |
| What’s the amount you’d consider spending on a single gift for someone during the festive season? | Upto ₹1500 | 66.9% |
| ₹1,500 – ₹3,000 | 11.8% | |
| ₹3,000 or more | 21.4% | |
| What are your top 3 gift categories for your loved ones during the festive season? (Multiple Options) | Traditional Apparel/Clothing | 40% |
| Home Decor | 14.1% | |
| Dry Fruits and Sweets | 20.6% | |
About Public App:
Public App is India’s #1 app for local updates with 70 million+ active users. The app serves as a hyper-local social network, allowing users to connect and stay updated on what’s happening around them. It is available in all major Indian languages including Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Assamese, Gujarati, and Marathi.
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