In the initial week of India’s festive sales, iPhone sales surpassed 1.5 million units, marking a year-on-year growth of more than 25%, according to a recent report. The festive season saw a 25% year-on-year increase in the value of smartphone sales during the first week (October 8-15), primarily driven by strong demand for Samsung, Apple, and Xiaomi devices, as reported by Counterpoint Research.
Online channels, which had experienced subdued demand throughout the year, unexpectedly witnessed a significant surge in demand, leading to price increases from the third day of the sales week. Approximately 80% of phones sold on Amazon and Flipkart in the first 48 hours were 5G-capable.
On Flipkart, the premium segment grew by almost 50% year-on-year, driven by the iPhone 14 and Galaxy S21 FE, while on Amazon, the segment experienced nearly a 200% increase, primarily due to the iPhone 13 and Galaxy S23 FE.
This year, there was high demand for the iPhone 14, iPhone 13, and iPhone 12, in contrast to the previous year when the iPhone 13 dominated sales. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE also saw robust demand, selling out on Flipkart within two days of the sales period.
In the price range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, there was a swift transition to 5G as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) introduced numerous devices ahead of the festive season. The realme Narzo 60x 5G, Galaxy M14 5G, and M34 5G were top sellers on Amazon, with the vivo T2x leading sales on Flipkart.
The report notes that strong demand for premium devices is expected to continue, thanks to the availability of various financing and credit schemes, including per-day EMIs. The offline sales are also predicted to maintain robust consumer sentiment, as there is parity between offline and online discounts.
Overall, the report anticipates a 7% year-on-year increase in the volume of smartphone sales during this year’s festive season, with a 15% year-on-year growth in the average selling price (ASP).
