Gold coin orders on Instamart jump 23-fold in week before Dhanteras

People leaned heavily on Instamart for Diwali preparations this time. Orders came in for everything from home decoration and Lakshmi puja arrangements to gold and silver purchases on Dhanteras, festival delicacies and gifts for relatives. People began preparing several days in advance.

In the week before Dhanteras, orders for gold coins rose 23 times. The 1-gram coin was the most popular, followed by demand for 0.5-gram coins. Bengaluru ranked first in gold coin purchases, followed by Hyderabad and Mumbai. Delhi led in orders for silver coins.

Silver coin orders rose 7 times compared with the week before Dhanteras. Coins of 5 grams and 10 grams were liked about equally. Coins bearing images of Lakshmi and Ganesh were more popular. Orders for kitchen and dining items rose 45%. Orders for dinner sets rose 344% and for pressure cookers 171%.

One customer bought several 1-gram gold coins with Goddess Lakshmi in a single cart, worth Rs 1.73 lakh in all. Several customers in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad bought 10-gram, 24-carat gold coins in one cart. A customer in Noida spent about Rs 5 lakh on gold coins across nine separate orders. A customer in Mumbai spent Rs 4.31 lakh in all on gold and silver coins, including silver coins worth Rs 14,950. A customer in Warangal bought gold coins worth Rs 3.86 lakh in five orders.

People spent freely on decoration too. Searches for candles and marigold flowers rose about 200% from last year, while interest in Diwali gift hampers rose about 300%. Flower orders rose 42%. Orders for puja diyas rose 45% and for LED diyas 88%. Sweet orders rose by more than 55%. Laddoo, son papdi, kaju katli, gulab jamun and peda were the most popular.

Preferences varied by city. Laddoo and kaju katli sold in every city. In Chennai, gulab jamun was the most ordered sweet and seedai the favourite snack. Son papdi led in Ahmedabad and Jaipur, and sev and bhel also sold well in Ahmedabad. Vada and kodubale were favourites in Bengaluru, chakodi in Hyderabad, jackfruit chips in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, and chivda and bhakarwadi in Pune.

Demand for healthier options also rose. Orders for protein chips rose 239%. Orders for snacks made from ragi, jowar and bajra rose 188%, and for makhana 52%. Orders for sugar-free sweets rose 71%, sugar-free sweeteners 80% and sugar-free cookies 51%.

Among other purchases, orders for footwear rose 79%, bags and accessories 68% and clothing 50%. Orders for gift wrapping paper rose 78% and gift bags 50%. Orders for chivda, namkeen and other snacks rose 56%, and for cold drinks and juices 49%. Puja items such as batasha, incense sticks and idols were also bought in large numbers.

Preparations continued late into the night. Orders between midnight and 2 am saw a big jump. In that window, orders for decorative lights rose 903% and candles 289%. Among last-minute items for welcoming guests, orders for whisky glasses rose 136%. Son papdi and kaju katli led among sweets, while cola, chips and chocolate led among night-time snacks. Fresh milk, instant noodles and tissues also made up a large share of night-time purchases. Festival shopping had begun as early as 1 November.