Mumbai: India’s festive shopping journey is evolving, with Gen Z increasingly moving beyond product discovery to seek validation from friends and family before making purchase decisions, according to new research by GWI and Snapchat. The findings suggest that while creators and content continue to play an important role in helping consumers discover products, trusted conversations within their inner circle are becoming a key influence on final purchase decisions.
The research also highlights that festive shopping for Gen Z is no longer limited to a single peak around Diwali. Instead, the season has become an extended period of discovery, inspiration, planning and decision-making, giving marketers multiple opportunities to engage consumers.
Jason Mander, Chief Insight Officer at GWI said, “What’s striking in this research is how much the festive shopping journey has changed shape. It’s no longer a single moment to be won around a big shopping weekend. For Gen Z, it’s an extended season, with nearly four in ten planning their Diwali purchases a month or more in advance, and just as many blending planning with impulse buys along the way. And even once a product is discovered, the decision to buy is rarely made alone – most Gen Z shoppers lean on friends and family for reassurance first. For brands, that’s a meaningful shift in where and how they need to show up, and it’s exactly the kind of pattern that only becomes visible when you look at real behavior from real people, rather than stereotypes and assumptions”.
Trusted conversations influence purchase decisions
The research shows that while creator content remains important for product discovery, purchase decisions are increasingly influenced by consumers’ inner circles. Seven in 10 Gen Z consumers say creator content helps them discover products, while 76% say instant feedback from trusted people makes them more confident about their purchase decisions. Further, 63% share products with friends or family before purchasing, while four in 10 actively seek opinions or advice.
For marketers, the findings indicate a shift from simply driving product awareness to becoming part of the conversations that influence consumers at the point of decision-making.
Snapchat also emerges as a platform for these conversations, with 75% of Gen Z Daily Snapchatters saying they chat with friends on Snapchat about purchases while an item is in their basket. Meanwhile, 67% say Snapchat helps them feel confident about purchase decisions during the festive season, and 40% say things they have seen or shared on Snapchat have prompted them to share a product with others.
Festive shopping begins well before Diwali
The research indicates that Gen Z views the festive season as a series of celebrations rather than a single shopping occasion. Around 70% of Gen Z consumers believe the festive season consists of multiple celebrations, while nearly four in 10 begin planning for Diwali more than a month in advance.
At the same time, shopping behaviour combines planning and spontaneity. While 41% say most of their purchases are planned in advance, 40% say they do some planning but also make spontaneous purchases. The findings suggest that marketers need to build festive campaigns that remain relevant throughout the season rather than concentrating activity around a single peak weekend.
Festivities remain rooted in relationships
Beyond shopping, the festive season continues to be centred on family, friends and social connections. Spending time with family is the top activity that 65% of Gen Z consumers say they do more often during the festive season, followed by spending time with friends at 47% and buying gifts for others at 43%. Forty per cent also attend celebrations or gatherings.
Social media plays an important role in maintaining these connections, with 77% of Gen Z saying they interact most with family members on social media during the festive season, followed by close friends at 76%. Connecting with family is the top reason for using social platforms during the festive season at 63%, followed by sharing moments with close friends at 52%.
Among Daily Snapchatters, 78% say Snapchat is where they share festive moments with close friends and family. The platform also plays a role in shopping decisions, with 43% saying they have asked friends for shopping opinions on Snapchat and 42% saying they have sent a Snap to a friend to ask for opinions while shopping.
Yagnesh Ravi, Lead – Ad Solutions, Snap Inc. India, said, “For years, festive advertising has been centred around visibility. What this research shows is that the next opportunity lies in confidence. Gen Z isn’t making purchase decisions in isolation they’re discussing, validating and sharing those decisions with the people they trust. Because Snapchat is built around close relationships and visual communication, brands have an opportunity to become part of those decision-making moments, not just the discovery phase. That’s a very different role, and one that can make festive marketing more meaningful and more effective.”
The research points to an evolving role for Snapchat in the festive purchase journey, as the platform combines communication between close friends and family with product discovery and sharing. Across categories such as fashion, beauty, consumer technology and quick commerce, Snapchat also sees engagement around moments of inspiration, product sharing, opinion-seeking and decision-making. Its advertising formats, including Sponsored Snap, AR Lenses, Interactive Videos and Promoted Places, offer brands opportunities to engage Gen Z across different stages of the festive journey, from discovery and evaluation to final purchase decisions.
