India’s Singles’ Day or 11/11 Reports Triple-Digit Growth in Grooming, Accessories: Gokwik study

GoKwik’s network insights reveal a clear cultural shift in the Indian consumer mindset. What began globally as a celebration of singlehood has evolved into a day for self-indulgence and personal pampering, resonating strongly with younger, urban Indians and aligning with trends long seen in Asian and Western markets.

Category-level data underscores this shift;

• A leading women’s grooming brand saw a 106.5% spike in orders

• An artisanal jewellery brand recorded a 115.4% jump versus the previous day

• Men’s grooming rose 57.1%, and men’s apparel climbed 64.5%

These numbers reflect a broad-based appetite for discretionary spending driven by self-love and personal reward.

“This 11/11 data is fascinating as it shows a clear cultural shift where younger, urban Indian consumers are adopting global trends like Singles’ Day to celebrate self-love and self-respect. They are no longer limiting purchases to family or partners, creating a brand-new monetizable event for D2C brands—distinct from traditional festivals,” said Chirag Taneja, Co-founder and CEO, GoKwik.

The analysis also highlights the growing trend of late-night ‘couch commerce’. More than 26% of total orders were placed between 9 PM and 11 PM, and this behavior extended beyond metros. While Delhi and Bengaluru led order volumes, strong contributions from Gurgaon, Jaipur, and Noida indicate that Singles’ Day enthusiasm is national rather than urban-centric.

“This success is the perfect precursor to Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM). It proves that Indian consumers are ready and eager to participate in globally recognized sale events. We anticipate this individualistic shopping momentum will carry forward into a record-breaking BFCM for brands that are prepared,” Chirag added.

Singles’ Day, originally created in China as a celebration of single individuals, was transformed into a massive retail phenomenon by Alibaba in 2009. Today, platforms like Alibaba, Shopee, and Lazada have turned November 11 into one of the world’s largest shopping festivals—on par with Black Friday and Cyber Monday—with deep discounts across electronics, fashion, beauty, and home products. Its scale, timing, and emphasis on self-gifting make it especially appealing to young shoppers globally, a trend now firmly taking root in India.