India is searching for budget phones, especially with bigger battery: Flipkart report

The Covid-19 pandemic has enforced a changed behaviour where things such as social distancing and remote working have become a mainstay. Even as the country is unlocking itself, shopping behaviour, especially online, has changed. An exclusive Flipkart data reveals Indians are more inclined towards phones that are not only affordable but also deliver better battery life.

According to the Flipkart report, the e-commerce company witnessed a 60% surge in product searches in the sub- ₹10,000 segment since June, compared to the pre-pandemic era. More than 51 million Flipkart users sought a budget smartphone that is priced under ₹10,000.

While 5,000mAh battery and 6.22-inch screen were considered to be the benchmarks for this segment, data from the recent months reveal the trend has changed with brands introducing phones with 6,000mAh battery and 6.82-inch display in this price segment.

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The report further pointed out that people have become more conscious about the battery life of their phones. Flipkart said it registered a growing trend in the number of battery-related search queries, which has doubled since March.

The popular choices include Realme with its C series (C2 and C3), Xiaomi with its Redmi 8 and 8A and Infinix with its Hot Series. Flipkart also saw the entry of three new brands on the platform – Gionee, Itel and Tecno, which have continued to build a strong consumer base in deeper regions of the country, said the report.

Another important finding of the report is that smaller towns in India have taken a lead when it comes to buying these affordable phones.

“Affordable data plans have truly amped up demand for smartphones in Tier 3 cities and beyond. This has led to the growing need for budget smartphones,” said the Flipkart report.

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The biggest share of demand for these affordable smartphones has been from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Bihar and West Bengal. Over 70% of total demand is from tier 2+ regions and beyond. Cities such as Gorakhpur, Raipur, Siwan, Deoria, Hisar, Medinipur and Azamgarh feature on this list.

Flipkart users are also signing up for value-added services. Flipkart witnessed an uptick in several affordability initiatives such as the Warranty Assistant programme. The adoption for product exchange (which allows consumers to return their old functional mobile phone in any condition to avail benefits) has increased significantly over the past few months.