There has been an over 191 per cent increase in sellers in the tier-3 market ahead of Diwali, a near-176 per cent rise in tier-2 cities, and an increase of over 138 per cent in tier-1 cities, from 2020. These were the findings of a recent report from Shiprocket, a tech-enabled logistics and fulfillment platform's annual Festive Season Report for the direct to commerce (D2C) sector, has found.

       The report also revealed an uptick of 213 per cent in the percentage of first-time sellers in tier-3 cities, while tier-2 and tier-1 cities saw a growth of 138 per cent and 175 per cent, respectively. The platform now has over 47,000 sellers from tier-3 cities as compared to the over 16,000 sellers in 2020.

       The report highlights various aspects such as growth in the number of sellers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, top cities for delivery and pickup, most popular categories, and more.

       The report focuses on shipment trends just before the grand festive season in the D2C sector between August 2020 and August 2021.

       Shiprocket also noted that offline channels were the most popular this year, having registered a growth of over 301 per cent compared to last year.

       While social media witnessed a growth of more than 153 per cent, followed by online stores that saw an increase of over 115 per cent sellers. Among the various channels, marketplaces observed the least change at just over 71 per cent compared to 2020, Shiprocket said.

       Further, Shiprocket took into account the top cities for pickup and delivery. New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore once again topped the charts for the highest number of shipments delivered, while Hyderabad and Kolkata came in fourth and fifth respectively.

       Shiprocket’s detailed report also analysed the method of payment that sellers used to pay for availing the platform’s services. It found an uptick in the prepaid transactions with 71 per cent prepaid orders while cash on delivery (COD) shipments comprised of just over 28 per cent. One of the primary reasons for this is the increased digitization, internet penetration, and smartphone usage. In addition, Shiprocket’s report also revealed that the platform has more male sellers rather than female sellers.

       Among popular categories of goods sold, electronics, which comprised almost 26 per cent, topped the list, followed by apparel and personal care, which comprised more than 25 per cent each. Food and groceries constituted nearly 14 per cent, and healthcare comprised over 9 per cent. Overall, Shiprocket’s report showed that the volume of shipments witnessed an increase of more than 51 per cent in September 2021.

       “The festive season is usually the busiest time of the year with sellers observing skyrocketing demand. Our festive season report aims to analyze the current position of existing and newly onboarded D2C sellers on our platform to forecast the progress and further augment our offerings. We have noticed that the volume of shipments has surged massively compared to last year, and we are expecting an uptick in revenue. Shiprocket will continue to expand its services and cater efficiently to sellers across the country,” said Saahil Goel, CEO, and Co-Founder of Shiprocket.

       With a PAN India reach of over 29,000 pin codes and over 17 courier partners, Shiprocket leverages technology in nearly every aspect of its operations for seamless last-mile deliveries and hassle-free fulfillment.