78% consumers seek more than discounts, prefer experience-led rewards: Report

BigCity’s 'festive 2025' report titled 'What Indian Consumers Really Want from Brands This Festive Season’records that around 78% of consumers expect more than just discounts from brands this festive season, looking instead for promotions and offers that deliver real value. Nearly 56% said they would prefer an experience-led reward, underlining a shift in consumer expectations, according to the study.

The report is based on responses from over 1,000 consumers across the country.

The report highlights that while discounts remain important, consumers have developed ‘discount fatigue’. Consumerssaid they would actively choose brands that offer experience-led rewards, such as luxury dining, wellness getaways or curated lifestyle benefits, instead of price cuts.

The report emphasised that discounts have lost their competitive advantage. Instead, consumers look for real-time, digitally driven rewards that make shopping fun and memorable. 44% of consumers expect brands to surprise and delight them with offers. Meanwhile, 42% like to participate in gamified experiences such as spin-the-wheel or scratch cards for rewards. The reports state, 77.7% prefer high-impact prizes like electronics, gadgets, travel, and cars over simple cash rewards.

High-ticket lifestyle purchases remain the biggest draw for shoppers, such as electronics & mobile phones (46.2%), consumer durables (31.4%), FMCG (22.3%) and retail/apparel (11%).

The study pointed out that nearly half of campaign participation (48%) depends on how easy and relevant the reward redemption feels. Shoppers want Frictionless entry (single tap or scan, no lengthy sign-ups), Instant gratification (rewards should be available in real-time), Thumb-speed flows (campaigns designed for mobile-first users), Smart redemptions (auto-applied vouchers, WhatsApp rewards, easy claim mechanics)

According to the report, three in four shoppers plan purchases weeks in advance, with shopping journeys typically starting online, influenced by social media. Significantly, 80% consumers find festive deals via Instagram, WhatsApp, and influencers, which is out of traditional advertising.

Speaking on the launch of the report, Vikas Shah, Co-founder, BigCity Promotions, said, “At BigCity, we have spent over a decade crafting campaigns that merge creativity with technology. This festive season, we believe consumers will focus more on value-plus campaigns. Our report shows that they are especially drawn to ‘unadvertised’ moments, such as mystery gifts with purchases, unexpected upgrades, or personalised thank-you notes from brand ambassadors. So brands that design campaigns making consumers part of the brand story will lead in driving engagement.”