Snapdeal’s home category sales rose 70% during the pandemic

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One of India’s largest value online e-commerce company, Snapdeal witnessed its home category sales gone up by 70% since March 2020, when the Covid-19 outbreak began. The growth has been driven primarily by kitchenware and home renovation products, which showed a 50% and 100% increase in demand during the same period.

That said, Snapdeal’s home category has grown steadily over the last three years. However, the pandemic’s stay-at-home guidelines have prompted individuals to invest more in the one part of life that provides them with comfort, i.e., their homes.

“Our customers tell us the home has never been more important. With homes doubling up as their office and workout space, kids’ rooms being remodelled to be classrooms, they are comfortable to spend more to make their homes more suitable for the way they are living now,” said Snapdeal Spokesperson.

Customers of Snapdeal purchased more home decors products, such as rack shelves, blackboards and whiteboards, wall clocks, paintings, lampshades, and home linen, which primarily consisted of bed sheets and bed covers, pillows, and tablecloths. However, home temples, deity statues, pooja thalis, and framed religious themes accounted for the lion’s share of the increasing religious accessory sales.

Boost in demand for kitchen appliances

Many Snapdeal customers stated that when they were given the opportunity to update their houses during the shutdown, their priority was to replace worn-out kitchen appliances such as mixers and choppers, storage containers, and switch to easy-to-use steel or unbreakable glassware. Other popular kitchen purchases were pressure cookers, multi-function knives and peelers, and water dispensers.

The gardening & related category experienced outstanding growth during the last 15 months, with volumes increasing 2.5X. Fruit and vegetable seeds, bio compost, pot holders, and water sprinkler attachments have all been popular purchases.

With increased leisure time and an increase in DIY culture, customers have undertaken minor home improvements to tidy up their living spaces and balconies to create stress-relieving retreats. As a result, demand for home renovation products such as tool kits (including drills and screwdriver sets), painting machine sets, wiring solutions, and closet organisers has increased unusually.

Additionally, users purchased useful products such as step ladders and solar-powered rechargeable lighting. Further, the demand was witnessed from metropolises like Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad and smaller towns like Srinagar, Udaipur, Guwahati, Bhopal, and Mangalore. Over 75% of the merchandise was transported to non-metropolitan addresses. On average, customers spent between Rs 400 and Rs 900 on things.

“We expect to see continued growth in the segment and are working with retailers and manufacturers to ensure a wide variety of affordable choices,” added Snapdeal spokesperson.