Dhanteras shopping boom: gold coins and EVs fly off online shelves beyond metros
Early festive trends from Amazon India and Swiggy Instamart show surging Dhanteras purchases of gold, jewellery and two-wheelers, with demand spreading well beyond metro cities.
Early trends shared by Amazon India and Swiggy Instamart point to a strong Dhanteras shopping surge, with gold sales on Instamart up 258% year-on-year, silver purchases up 185%, and electric two-wheeler sales on Amazon up eightfold against its average-day pace. Demand is spreading beyond metros into smaller cities, though all of these figures are company-reported platform trends, not economy-wide totals.
Gold and silver fly off quick-commerce shelves
Swiggy Instamart has seen a sharp rise in precious-metal purchases, with gold sales growing 258% year-on-year and silver purchases increasing 185% over the past 12 months. Bengaluru leads gold and silver shopping on the platform, followed by Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.
Ahead of Dhanteras, when buying gold and silver is considered auspicious, Instamart has partnered with Kalyan Jewellers to offer gold coins, including 0.1-gram denominations, through its sellers. From 1 to 6 November, the first 1,000 customers across India each day who buy an eligible Kalyan Jewellers gold coin on Instamart also receive a free 1-gram silver coin, and every such purchase entitles the buyer to a digital discount voucher worth a 5-gram silver coin, subject to conditions. One Bengaluru customer bought gold worth Rs 2.52 lakh in a single day, including five 50-gram silver bars and several gold coins.
Jewellery demand spreads beyond metros
Amazon India said fashion jewellery shoppers grew over 50% year-on-year during the festive season, while first-time jewellery buyers increased more than 20%. Gold remained the preferred choice, with purchases of gold rings rising over 35%, earrings nearly 30% and neckwear 25%.
Demand from tier-two and tier-three cities such as Unnao, Bharuch and Akola grew up to 2.5 times year-on-year, while new jewellery buyers in smaller cities increased over 40%. Lab-grown diamond jewellery purchases tripled, while silver idols and figurines grew nearly 2.7 times, pointing to festive shopping expanding well beyond the big cities.
Two-wheelers join the festive cart
Beyond precious metals, Amazon reported a sixfold increase in two-wheeler sales during its Great Indian Festival compared with its average-day pace. Electric two-wheeler sales grew eightfold, with more than 60% of overall two-wheeler purchases coming from non-metro markets.
The pattern fits a wider festive shift: platforms are increasingly becoming channels for both high-value purchases and traditional Dhanteras buys, from coins and jewellery to vehicles, with smaller cities driving a growing share of demand.
Read the numbers for what they are
These figures are early trends reported by the platforms themselves, and they measure different things. Instamart's gold and silver growth is year-on-year over the past 12 months, while Amazon's two-wheeler growth is measured against its average-day pace during its festival sale, not against last year's festival. They describe shopping on those platforms only, and should not be read as totals for India's festive economy as a whole.
Even with that caveat, the direction is consistent across both platforms: Dhanteras buying this year is happening online and in smaller cities to a much greater extent than before, with low-denomination coins making precious-metal purchases accessible to more buyers.
Editorial disclosure
This article was researched with AI assistance and reviewed by the publisher before publication. Report factual errors through our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
How much did gold and silver sales grow on Instamart?
Gold sales grew 258% year-on-year and silver purchases increased 185% over the past 12 months, according to the company. Bengaluru led purchases, followed by Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.
What is Instamart offering with Kalyan Jewellers for Dhanteras?
Kalyan Jewellers gold coins, including 0.1-gram denominations, sold through Instamart's sellers. From 1 to 6 November, the first 1,000 buyers each day also get a free 1-gram silver coin, and every purchase carries a digital discount voucher worth a 5-gram silver coin, subject to conditions.
Are these figures for all of India's festive shopping?
No. They are company-reported trends from Amazon India and Swiggy Instamart only, measured on different bases, and should not be read as economy-wide totals.