Gen Z's festive shopping journey is becoming less linear, with discovery and purchase decisions increasingly shaped by different sources, according to 'Diwali & the Festive Season in India', a new study by GWI and Snapchat released on 12 August.

While creators help consumers discover products, friends and family play a larger role in providing the reassurance needed to make a purchase.

The research also finds that festive shopping is no longer concentrated around a single Diwali peak. Gen Z sees the festive period as a series of celebrations, with planning beginning weeks in advance and purchases spanning both planned and spontaneous decisions.

Snapchat's role in the purchase journey

Among Gen Z Daily Snapchatters, the platform also features in conversations around purchases and festive activities. 75% say they discuss purchases with friends on Snapchat while an item is still in their basket, while 67% say Snapchat helps them feel more confident about festive purchase decisions.

The research further finds that 40% of Daily Snapchatters say something they saw or shared on Snapchat led them to share a product with others. Meanwhile, 49% say they ask friends or family for shopping advice on the platform.

The findings suggest that festive campaigns need to account for a longer consumer journey, moving from discovery and inspiration to evaluation and purchase. For marketers, this shifts the focus from securing attention around a single shopping peak to remaining relevant across the different moments in which consumers research, discuss and decide.

The study was commissioned by Snap Inc. and conducted by GWI among 1,000 Gen Z consumers in India in June 2026.

Highlights of the report:

• 76% of Gen Z say instant feedback from people they trust makes them more confident in their purchase decisions.
• 63% share products with friends or family before buying, while 4 in 10 actively seek opinions or advice.
• 7 in 10 say creator content helps them discover products.
• 70% view the festive season as multiple celebrations rather than a single shopping moment.
• Nearly 4 in 10 start planning their Diwali purchases more than a month in advance.
• 41% say most of their festive purchases are planned, while 40% combine planning with spontaneous purchases.
• 65% say spending time with family is an activity they do more often during the festive season.
• 77% say they interact most with family members on social media during the festive season, followed by close friends at 76%.
• 63% cite connecting with family as the top reason for using social platforms during the festive season, followed by sharing moments with close friends at 52%.

Yagnesh Ravi, lead - ad solutions, Snap Inc. India, said, "For years, festive advertising has been centred around visibility. This research shows 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."

Jason Mander, chief insight officer, GWI, added, “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 behaviour from real people, rather than stereotypes and assumptions."