The findings show that 90% of Indians notice festive advertising on social media, while three in four discover products through app notifications. Seventy-five per cent of respondents said they pay attention to festive content on idle TV screens, 67% browse their phones while the television is on, and 68% allow festive content to play in the background on TV.
India’s festive shopping journey is becoming less linear, with consumers discovering products across multiple screens and increasingly turning to AI-led tools for research, comparison and purchase decisions, according to InMobi’s The Marketer’s Guide to India’s Festive Season 2026.
The study, based on an on-device consumer study conducted by InMobi Advertising from August 7 to August 11, 2026, covering 1110 male and female consumers across Android and iOS users, Tier 1 to Tier 4 cities and generations including Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers, points to a shopping journey that extends beyond individual platforms and conventional funnel stages.
The findings show that 90% of Indians notice festive advertising on social media, while three in four discover products through app notifications. Attention is also spread across connected and ambient screens. Seventy-five per cent of respondents said they pay attention to festive content on idle TV screens, 67% browse their phones while the television is on, and 68% allow festive content to play in the background on TV.
Lock screens are another recurring point of consumer attention. Three in four respondents check their phone lock screen multiple times an hour, with the frequency 9 percentage points higher among Tier 1 consumers than Tier 2 consumers. Meanwhile, 31% said they check their lock screen every few minutes. This behaviour is 10 percentage points higher among Gen Z and Millennials than other age groups and 6 percentage points higher in Tier 1 cities than Tier 2.
From discovery to purchase, the journey remains fragmented
The report also indicates that consumers continue to use multiple information sources before making festive purchases. Seventy-five per cent turn to online product reviews before purchasing, while 53% use search to research their choices. Social and influencer content is used by 47% of respondents, rising to 52% among iOS users.
Despite this fragmented discovery process, the purchase endpoint is increasingly digital. Fifty-eight per cent of respondents research and purchase online, while another 15% use stores for research before eventually buying online. Only 17% said they research and purchase entirely in-store. Taken together, 73% of festive shoppers therefore make their final purchase online, regardless of how they move through the earlier stages of the journey.
The shift is also visible in the growing role of AI in shopping decisions. Smart search suggestions emerged as the AI feature consumers were most likely to try, at 89%, followed by virtual product try-ons and complete-the-look suggestions at 81% each. AI-based recommendations stood at 75%, while 73% showed interest in voice search or chat assistants.
Four in five consumers said they want an AI shopping assistant for the festive season. Interest in AI-based recommendations was higher among Millennials at 82%, compared with 71% among Gen Z.
The report also finds that 79% of consumers are interested in shopping through a personalised smart TV advertisement featuring virtual try-on, with interest among Millennials 15 percentage points higher than among Gen Z.
“Indian consumers are no longer shopping in linear paths. Their journeys are increasingly ambient, multi-screen and guided by AI,” said Pavitra Gupta, Vice President & General Manager – India, InMobi. “Today’s festive shoppers expect hyper-relevant, frictionless discovery whether they are on their smart TV, lock screen, or everyday apps. For marketers, this means moving beyond high-volume advertising to creating AI-powered experiences that are useful in the moment, build brand trust and help consumers move seamlessly from discovery to decision.”
The report’s findings also include an example from fashion brand The Bear House, where the company reported a 50% reduction in website bounce rates, a 2.5x increase in add-to-carts and a 5x increase in overall conversions after implementing an AI-enabled virtual try-on experience. The case illustrates how AI-led product discovery can extend beyond recommendation and influence on-site shopping behaviour.
Taken together, the findings place festive shopping in a landscape where consumer attention is distributed across screens, discovery increasingly combines reviews, search, social and notifications, and AI is becoming part of the consideration process. The report suggests that the traditional linear progression from advertising exposure to consideration and purchase is being replaced by a more fluid journey spanning ambient screens, mobile interfaces and AI-assisted decision-making.
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First Published onSeptember 24, 2026, 15:08:06 IST
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