India's online commerce platforms witnessed a significant surge in Black Friday sales, with a 25-30% year-on-year increase, according to recent reports. This impressive growth significantly outpaces the 17-18% growth observed last year. Several factors contributed to this boost, including recent GST cuts and the strong performance of direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, which offered substantial discounts across various product categories.
Black Friday sales in India typically commence on the Friday following Thanksgiving and extend through Cyber Monday. This year, the sales event gained considerable momentum, with brands initiating promotions a week in advance and planning to continue offers beyond Cyber Monday. Major online platforms such as Tata CLiQ, Nykaa, Flipkart, Croma, and Samsung launched early deals, signaling robust consumer demand that persisted even after the Diwali shopping season.
Amar Choudhary, chief executive of 1Lattice, noted that platforms are offering substantial discounts on big-ticket and premium items during Black Friday sales, unlike the festive sales where discounts are available across all categories. Discounts of up to 40%, 60%, and even 80% are being offered across categories like electronics, furniture, and jewelry.
The GST cuts announced in September played a significant role in driving Black Friday sales this year. Avneet Singh Marwah, CEO at Super Plastronics, the maker of Kodak, Thomson and Blaupunkt TVs, said large-screen TV sales are up 20% over last year, helped by the GST cut from 28% to 18%.
While Black Friday originated in the US, it is increasingly gaining traction in India. Brands and marketplaces have traditionally viewed Black Friday as an opportunity to boost sales following the festive season. However, industry analysts suggest that it is now becoming a major event in India, as D2C brands and e-commerce platforms invest more heavily in marketing. Renu Bisht, founder of Commercify 360, stated that "Black Friday is becoming a big event in India each year".
Nilesh Gupta, director of Vijay Sales, indicated that sales have risen 20–25% from last year's Black Friday period. However, he noted that "as a standalone event, Black Friday is yet to become a big one like Republic Day or Independence Day when sales spike two-three times compared to a regular day". He estimates that it will take another two to three years for Black Friday to become a major sale event in India.
The Black Friday-to-Cyber Monday sales are also seeing more planned and premium purchases. Nishank Joshi, chief marketing officer at Nexus Select Malls, observed that "what began as a single-day flash sale has now evolved into a full-fledged shopping week for many brands, signalling not just consumer enthusiasm, but the maturing of India's retail landscape". Categories such as fashion, accessories, luggage, and household goods are also experiencing greater demand.
According to a YouGov report, Black Friday has seen a sharp surge in interest among urban Indians, with likely participation climbing from 33 per cent to 70 per cent, underscoring its growing importance as a major shopping event in India. The report further notes that 41 per cent of urban Indians are likely to make purchases during Black Friday 2025.
