ARS Insights, October 2025. Practical research thinking for business owners, in plain language.
1. A record festive season, as reported by traders
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) reported that retail trade between Navratri and Diwali reached about Rs 5.4 lakh crore in goods, with another Rs 65,000 crore in services, the highest festive total on record. Its nationwide survey found turnover up 25% on last year, and about 72% of traders said their sales volumes rose. Traders credited the lower GST rates for making products cheaper.
2. How to read a number like this
Why it matters: This is a trader survey, so it shows what traders reported, not a count of every sale. It is a useful signal, but it does not tell you whether your own customers bought more, or whether they bought because of price or because of need.
What to measure: your own sales for the same festive weeks last year, the split between more units sold and higher prices, and which products moved most after prices fell.
3. One question for your business this month
When prices fell, did your customers buy more of the same thing, or did they buy something new? A short survey of 200 recent buyers can answer that.
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Sources: Confederation of All India Traders survey as reported by All India Radio (newsonair.gov.in), 21 October 2025.