Tier III cities drive 42% surge in Women's Day online shopping: Report

Smaller cities led online shopping activity during theonline shopping sale period, according to data released by GoKwik.

The report noted Tier III cities accounted for 42% of all women’s orders during the sale period, ahead of Tier I metros at 32%, while Tier II cities contributed 26%. The demand pushed overall order volumes up 21.11% year-on-year, while Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) grew 22.48%.

According to the analysis, female shoppers accounted for 48% of total network orders but generated a larger share of spending in certain categories. Women contributed 57% of the total GMV in the Beauty category and recorded an Average Order Value (AOV) in Fashion that was more than 17% higher than that of men.

Commenting on the report findings, Chirag Taneja, CEO and Co-founder of GoKwik, said, “The 2026 Women's Day sale period has truly redefined the potential of the female shopper in India. We aren't just seeing more orders; we are seeing higher-quality orders. The surge in Tier 3 cities proves that aspiration for premium, ingredient-led products is no longer confined to metros. At GoKwik, we are seeing brands pivot from generic discounts to personalized 'For Her' strategies, which is directly reflected in the 22.5% YoY GMV growth. This precision-driven shopping behavior is the new baseline for the D2C ecosystem.”

The report also highlighted geographic trends in demand. Noida, Gurugram and Dehradun emerged as the top cities for women’s orders, while Bengaluru remained a major hub, with four of the country’s top ten performing pincodes located in the city’s residential areas.

The analysis found that the 2026 sale season was marked by early promotional campaigns and thematic engagement strategies. Brands began campaigns as early as February 23, particularly in the Beauty and personal care and Fashion & Apparel sectors.

Promotional strategies also showed a shift in messaging. About 92% of participating brands used gender-centric keywords such as ‘FORHER’, ‘HER300’, and ‘WOMEN10’ in promotional codes.