Free mehendi to soan papdi: A look at q-comm festive freebies

Getting any gift, no matter how big or small, from quick-commerce platforms such as Blinkit, Zepto, or Swiggy Instamart always adds a little spark of excitement. Since 2023, these platforms have increasingly focussed on each festival and special holiday, tailoring their services for every celebration to better cater to consumers.

People believe that these festive efforts generate virality. Be it Independence Day, Navratri, Karwa Chauth, or the upcoming Diwali, for the first time these companies are partnering with several brands to roll out offers, special festive packs, festival-related products, and promotional banners. A few q-comm platforms also delivered free mehendi cones during Karwa Chauth on October 20.

Gifts often come from categories such as chocolates, packaged Indian sweets, confectionery, dry fruits, and cookies. Some consumers have even noticed that when they order products from a specific category, such as noodles, they occasionally receive a small gift from a different brand in their cart.

Here’s how these q-comm players have been leveraging special occasions:

Zepto: The grocery delivery startup has adopted a theme of “health, happiness, and home” for its Diwali celebrations. It is sending curated game hampers to employees for family use, enhancing the festive spirit within the company.

Its recent campaign Make Soan Papdi Great Again has garnered significant attention in the media. As part of this campaign, the company sent surprise packets of soan papdi to consumers who placed orders exceeding Rs 400. The company also designed a paper bag specifically for October, which has been receiving positive feedback from consumers.

Blinkit: Blinkit is sending surprise gift hampers to consumers as a Diwali gift. However, there is no limit on how much one has to spend to receive a gift. For all other festivals like Karwa Chauth, Navratri, Janmashtami, Independence Day, and even during the wedding season in February-March 2024, the platform promoted the delivery of products within 10 minutes.

Apart from festivals, the platform sometimes sends a single or a few products for free or at a very minimal price to customers. These products are either newly launched or serve as competitive alternatives to the products of brands that customers order.

Swiggy Instamart: Swiggy Instamart has strategically leveraged the festive season to enhance its offerings and meet the rising consumer demand for convenience during this busy time. It has introduced 24x7 free delivery across regions like Delhi, Gurgaon, and Noida, allowing consumers to access a wide range of products at any hour. This service caters to last-minute shopping needs, particularly for festive snacks, gift items, and everyday essentials.

The platform reported a significant increase in demand for specific products during festive occasions. For example, during Raksha Bandhan, Swiggy Instamart saw a 7X increase in rakhi sales compared to the previous year, alongside a notable rise in the sale of perfumes as gifts. For Karwa Chauth, the company installed a huge sieve (chhanni) for couples who observed the fast.