Decorative Lighting, Artistic Sculptures Light Up Festive Season

As the festive season unfolds in India, we all want our homes to look beautiful and get decked up for the celebrations. Home decor plays a crucial role in shaping the festive atmosphere within our living spaces. From Diwali lights to festival-themed accents, they make every festival complete, adding beautifully to the vibes.

The festive season is the peak period for home decor retailers, as they usually witness a substantial surge in sales, sometimes doubling or even tripling their regular numbers.

According to the retailers, these sales are often driven by customers planning major home makeovers, hosting parties, or purchasing new properties during festivals.

The home decor retailers' preparations for the festive season begin well in advance and the approach is often grounded in both tradition and innovation.

Strategic Manufacturing and Cultural Market Insights
The companies thoroughly analyse the previous year's data and prepare accordingly, "Anticipating a significant surge in demand, we consider a 25 per cent to 30 per cent increase during the festive season, which serves as a basis for determining our stock requirements. We initiate manufacturing during the quieter months from March to May to meet this demand," said Manoj K Sharma, Founder, Ashnam Retail.

According to Sharma, for this festive season, his company has increased its manufacturing output by 50 per cent compared to regular quarters, to fulfil the high demand during this time.

The brands meticulously plan their market strategy, understanding the cultural and regional nuances of the Indian market, underlined Niraj Johri, Founder & CEO at Casa Decor.

"This involves forecasting consumer trends and preferences to align our product offerings accordingly. It is a time when we enhance our product range, optimise inventory, and synchronise our marketing and communication strategies to maximise our reach," he said.

During the festive season, brands in almost every segment introduce new product ranges or revamp the existing ones to be relatable during this time, for example themes related products.

"The collections are inspired by motifs from varied art forms and cultures and these are illustrated in our contemporary Indian style of designing and handcrafted by local artisans. Our Festive collection is called Marigold, which symbolises Indian festivity, prosperity and joy," emphasised Shubhra Chadda, Co-founder, Chumbak.

Festive Exclusives
The festive season is a special time for both buyers and sellers as this is a joyful time, the sellers introduce new products and services exclusively to offer unique experiences to their customers.

"We regularly introduce limited edition products, often showcasing craftsmanship that is inspired by Indian heritage but caters to modern necessities. These exclusive offerings not only elevate the festive ambiance but also resonate with our customer's desire for something special during this time. For instance, during Diwali, we introduce scented candles and for the festive season, we offer pre-assembled gift hampers that simplify the gifting process for our customers," Johri stated.

Gifts during the festive season are in high demand and to make it more special the sellers offer exclusive limited editions, "Our new festive collection is handcrafted in India and designed in house. The Marigold collection has an exclusive range of gifts as a part of the collection, each of them thoughtfully curated and packaged in equally pretty gift wraps with cards," Sharma said.

However, some retailers keep this exclusivity for the next festive season, "We have not planned any limited-edition products this festive season. But may start doing soon going forward," Chaddha revealed.

Ecommerce Rise
The digital realm is pivotal during the festive season, especially given the rise in online shopping. "We invest in enhancing our ecommerce platforms, optimising user experiences and ensuring seamless transactions. Our digital marketing strategy has also intensified to engage with our audience effectively. We see this as an opportunity to reach a broader audience while providing a safe and convenient shopping experience," Johri said.

With this, the company also adapts its digital presence with festive-themed campaigns, resonating with the spirit of the festivals and focusing on promoting products that are particularly relevant to the festivals through its ecommerce platforms and social media channels.

According to Chaddha, his brand has a specialised gifting engine to simplify gifting for customers, quick deliveries and e-gift cards have also been introduced.

Consumer Behaviour
While talking about consumer behaviour during the festive season, Johri revealed that this season brings a demand for warm and welcoming decor themes. Traditional Indian motifs and colours continue to be popular.

However, a growing inclination towards contemporary styles and multifunctional products that extend beyond the festivities has also been observed.

"We've noticed that consumers are increasingly motivated to support local businesses, and there's a growing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly options in home decor. These trends reflect an evolving consumer consciousness and a desire for products that are both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically responsible. The demand for multi-functional decor pieces, maximising utility while maintaining aesthetics, is also on the rise," he said.

Sharma also revealed that home decor is anticipated to blend traditional Indian aesthetics with modern and contemporary designs, creating a unique fusion that reflects heritage and contemporary sensibilities. The consumers expect a focus on vibrant colour palettes and rich textures, emphasising bold hues like jewel tones and earthy shades to add depth and warmth to living spaces.

Furthermore, he said, "There is a trend towards minimalism and functional design, with a preference for decluttered spaces that prioritise functionality and simplicity without compromising elegance and style."

The demand for nature-inspired elements is also there, such as indoor plants, botanical patterns and natural materials like wood and stone will continue to be a popular choice, promoting a sense of tranquillity and connection with the outdoors.

According to Chaddha, traditional textures and prints in modern avatars are also in trend including the traditional art forms of printings.

Festive Favourites
The category of home decor items that tops the charts largely depends on the festival in question. However, according to the above sellers, during the festive season, decorative items and lighting tend to be the best performers.

Customers aspire to create a mesmerising and inviting atmosphere in their homes. Thus, products like decorative lighting, artistic sculptures and table decor witness a significant surge in demand. Furniture and furnishings also remain popular, with people seeking to revamp their living spaces for the celebrations.

Serveware, on the other hand, sees a surge in sales during all festivals, as most of these occasions typically involve hosting and family gatherings.