70% of Gen Z see festive season as multiple celebrations, while 76% seek trusted feedback before buying: Report

India’s festive shopping journey is becoming increasingly influenced by conversations within consumers’ trusted circles, even as creators and digital content continue to play a key role in product discovery, according to new research by GWI and Snapchat. The findings suggest that for Gen Z consumers, festive purchase decisions are moving beyond awareness and discovery, with friends and family playing a significant role in validating choices before a purchase is made. The research also indicates that the festive shopping period is becoming more extended, creating multiple opportunities for brands to engage consumers across discovery, consideration and decision-making. 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”. The research found that 70% of Gen Z consumers say creator content helps them discover products. However, the role of personal networks becomes more prominent closer to the purchase stage. Some 76% said instant feedback from people they trust makes them feel more confident about purchase decisions, while 63% share products with friends or family before buying. Four in 10 also actively seek opinions or advice before making a purchase. The findings point to a shift in the role of festive marketing, from generating awareness to also participating in the conversations that help consumers evaluate and validate products. Snapchat’s data further highlights this behaviour among its Gen Z Daily Snapchatters. About 75% said they chat with friends on Snapchat about purchases while an item is in their basket, while 67% said Snapchat helps them feel confident about purchase decisions during the festive season. Additionally, 40% said something they saw or shared on Snapchat had led them to share a product with others. The research also challenges the idea of Diwali as a single, concentrated shopping period. Seventy per cent of Gen Z respondents believe the festive season consists of multiple celebrations rather than one shopping moment, while nearly four in 10 begin planning their Diwali purchases more than a month in advance. At the same time, purchase behaviour is split between advance planning and spontaneity. While 41% of Gen Z respondents said most of their purchases are planned in advance, another 40% said they do some planning but also make spontaneous purchases. The broader findings suggest that festive marketing strategies may need to account for an extended consumer journey rather than concentrating activity around a single peak period. Relationships also remain central to how Gen Z experiences the festive season. Spending time with family is the most commonly cited activity, with 65% saying they tend to do this more often during the festive period than at other times of the year. Meanwhile, 47% spend time with friends and 43% buy gifts for others. Social media also plays a role in maintaining these connections. Seventy-seven per cent of Gen Z respondents said they interact most with family members on social media during the festive season, followed by close friends at 76%. Connecting with family was the top reason for using social platforms during the period, cited by 63%, followed by sharing moments with close friends at 52%. Among Snapchat’s Gen Z Daily Snapchatters, 78% said Snapchat is where they share festive moments with close friends and family. Forty-three per cent said they have asked friends for shopping opinions on Snapchat, while 42% said they have sent a Snap to a friend to ask for their opinion 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." According to the findings, Snapchat's positioning around communication between close friends and family gives brands opportunities to engage consumers beyond product discovery. The platform points to formats including Sponsored Snap, AR Lenses, Interactive Videos and Promoted Places as tools through which brands can participate in moments of discovery, sharing and decision-making. The research covers festive shopping behaviour among Gen Z consumers and highlights a broader shift in the purchase journey, where content and creators can spark discovery, but trusted personal conversations increasingly contribute to purchase confidence.