Premium and budget phones, ACs, laptops lead festive upgrades as The Big Billion Days opens; Gen Z, Tier 3 towns drive demand

Gen Z accounted for nearly four in 10 searches on Day 1 and over four in 10 visits to mobiles, large appliances and electronics, and nearly half of direct visits to electronics and mobiles.New Delhi,Oct 10, 2026 18:51 ISTShoppers are using the festive sale to upgrade, with premium and budget phones, air conditioners and laptops among the big-ticket purchases on Flipkart's The Big Billion Days (TBBD), the company said.Festive sales are traditionally when Indian households time big-ticket purchases, as exchange values, EMI options and bank offers tend to come together in the sale window. On Flipkart, that is playing out in upgrades of phones, ACs and laptops, making these days a key time for shoppers planning to replace an ageing phone, AC or refrigerator before Diwali. Popular models also tend to move quickly during festive sales.About four in 10 of India's online shoppers visited the platform on Day 1, Flipkart said. Large appliances and small home appliances both grew 30 per cent year-on-year in the first hour, with air conditioners up 44 per cent and washing machines up 15 per cent on Day 1. Air fryers, induction cooktops and water purifiers were also popular, while tablets grew 73 per cent, followed by laptops.Mobiles drew 30 per cent of Day 1 visitors, with demand across price points. At the premium end, models from Apple, Samsung, Google and Nothing saw strong traction. At the budget end, new entry-level 5G phones, priced at last year's levels, found buyers.Gen Z accounted for nearly four in 10 searches on Day 1 and over four in 10 visits to mobiles, large appliances and electronics, and nearly half of direct visits to electronics and mobiles. Their wish lists were led by the iPhone, 5G phones, earbuds, smartwatches and laptops.Smaller towns contributed heavily. Nearly one in two direct visits across these categories came from Tier 3 towns and beyond, and these markets bought nearly half of large appliance units. About 20,000 sellers now transact in high-value categories, up over 50 per cent year-on-year, the company said.Financing and exchange offers helped bring purchases within reach. One in four customers used exchange and one in three chose No Cost EMI, while about 25 per cent of laptop and tablet units were sold on EMI.Speed is part of the pitch for electronics. An iPhone 17 reached a customer in Delhi in 3.4 minutes through Flipkart Minutes during Early Access.To address concerns about buying high-value items online, Flipkart offers after-sales support through Jeeves, extended warranties of two to three years, and Trust Shield, which promises a seven-day repair turnaround or a refund. Products above Rs 700 are delivered with open-box inspection, the company said.Disclaimer: The material, content, and/or information contained within this impact feature are published strictly for advertorial purposes. T.V. Today Network Limited hereby disclaims any and all responsibility, representation, or endorsement with respect to the accuracy, reliability, or quality of the products and/or services featured or promoted herein. Viewers or consumers are strongly advised to conduct their own due diligence and make independent inquiries before relying on or making any decisions based on the information or claims presented in the impact feature. Any reliance placed on such content is strictly at the individual’s own discretion and risk.- Ends