Amazon invests ₹2,000 crore to gear up for festive rush, expects to surpass 140 crore customer visits

Amazon India has pumped in ₹2,000 crore this year to bolster its infrastructure ahead of the Amazon Great Indian Festival (GIF), which kicks off on September 23. The investment covers the expansion of fulfillment and delivery centers, the welfare of delivery associates, and enhancing capacity to ensure faster deliveries during what the company calls its biggest shopping event of the year.

Saurabh Srivastava, Vice President, Categories, Amazon India, told Business Today that the festival is expected to surpass last year’s 140 crore customer visits, making this the biggest edition yet. “Every Amazon Great Indian Festival has been bigger than before. This one is going to be the biggest yet,” he said.

Amazon has launched 45 new delivery centers and ramped up its logistics network to enable same-day delivery on over one million products and next-day delivery on nearly four million products. The company says preparations for the sale begin almost a year in advance to meet peak festive demand.

Shoppers can look forward to up to 65% discounts on home appliances and up to 40% off on smartphones, coupled with a 10% cashback on SBI debit, credit, and EMI transactions. Additionally, Amazon Pay Later will extend instant credit up to ₹60,000, helping customers finance shopping, travel bookings, or festive purchases.

On the sellers’ side, Amazon expects 1.7 million sellers to participate, with strong enthusiasm from small and medium businesses in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. “Government reforms have allowed sellers to operate pan-India without a physical presence in every state, truly democratising digital commerce,” Srivastava told Business Today.

The festival also reflects a broader consumer trend towards premiumization. Amazon reports a surge in demand for double-door refrigerators over single-door models, front-load washing machines over top-load, and an upgrade cycle in smartphones as customers seek more premium features.

Shopping patterns are also expected to follow a regional and seasonal flavour. The early phase of the sale is likely to be driven by smartphones, electronics, and home appliances, while the lead-up to Navratri and Diwali will see heightened demand for apparel, home & kitchen products, beauty, and festive décor.

Last year, Amazon clocked 18,000 orders per minute at peak during its Prime Day event, a figure 50% higher than the previous edition. The company expects the Great Indian Festival to build on this momentum and set new benchmarks for festive e-commerce in India.