81% of Indian Shoppers Want Virtual Try-On This Diwali – Are You Ready?
Virtual try on New survey data just confirmed something fashion brands can’t ignore this festive season. The “Marketer’s Guide to India’s Festive Season 2026” data from Virtual try-on Indian festive shopping Diwali 2026 shopping analytics provider InMobi Advertising reveals that 81% of Indian festive shoppers would want to experience a virtual product try-on and 89% would want smart search suggestions during the festive season, alongside each. If your catalogue isn’t offering this yet, you are trying to convert four-fifths of your customers without supplying the one thing they are interested in.
Key Takeaways
- Virtual try-on: Indian festive shopping Diwali 2026 data shows 81% of shoppers want this feature, based on InMobi’s August 2026 survey of Indian consumers.
- Brands without virtual try-on risk losing a large share of festive shoppers during the highest-return-risk period of the year, when fit confidence drives conversion directly.
- A two-week integration timeline means brands can still get Diwali-ready even with the season already underway.
The Numbers Behind This Diwali Season
InMobi’s nationwide study, conducted in August 2026 across Tier 1 to Tier 4 cities, found that 73% of Indian festive shoppers now complete their final purchase online, and AI tools are shaping nearly every step of that journey. Smart search suggestions led interest at 89%, with virtual try-ons and “complete-the-look” recommendations close behind at 81% each. Four in five shoppers overall said they’re actively seeking an AI-powered shopping assistant for festive buying this year.
This isn’t abstract interest either. The Bear House, an Indian apparel brand, reported a 50% drop in site bounce rate, a 2.5x increase in add-to-carts, and a 5x rise in overall conversions after integrating AI-powered virtual try-ons, concrete proof that virtual try-on Indian festive shopping Diwali 2026 translates directly into results.
Why Festive Season Is the Highest-Return-Risk Period
It’s not just a conventional shopping trip when celebrating Diwali. Sarees, Lehengas and sherwanis are emotional decisions that have to be made for particular situations, for a particular family, and for a particular moment. If the customer regrets purchasing fit or drape of a high-dollar joyous item, it costs them more to abandon the shopping cart than it does to purchase a carton and return the product – both of which occur during the hottest time of the year.
This is exactly where a festive season AI try-on brands are changing the equation. Say, if that saree or lehenga somehow shows up before the shopper, without doubt, he would feel confident in his purchase as the hesitation just subsides.
What Happens to Brands Without VTO This Diwali
Here’s the uncomfortable math: if 81% of festive shoppers want virtual try-on and your catalogue doesn’t offer it, you’re not just missing a nice-to-have feature. You’re losing a meaningful share of shoppers to competitors who do offer it, shoppers who’ve explicitly told researchers this is what they want before buying. During a season where Indian fashion and footwear purchases are a staple category for half of all festive shoppers, that gap compounds fast.
How to Set Up AI Vastra Virtual Try-On Before Diwali
The good news: this isn’t a months-long project. AI Vastra’s integration timeline typically runs around two weeks from signup to a live, working virtual try-on experience on your website. That’s enough time to get ready even with Diwali approaching fast. Our Virtual Try-On service page covers exactly what the setup process involves, and our How to Prepare Fashion Catalogue for Diwali post walks through getting your existing catalogue images ready to feed into the system.
Which Garment Categories Matter Most This Festive Season
Not every category carries the same urgency, but a few stand out clearly for virtual try-on saree Diwali shopping and beyond:
- Sarees—Drape and pallu presentation are make-or-break for buyer confidence
- Lehengas—fit and silhouette matter enormously for occasion wear
- Sherwanis—structure and formal fit drive men’s festive purchasing decisions
- Salwar kameez and kurta sets—high purchase volume during the season, with fit uncertainty being a common hesitation point
Our AI Catalogue for Seasonal Launches post covers how to prioritize which categories to get try-on-ready first if you’re working against a tight timeline.
Diwali VTO Readiness Checklist
- Review existing catalogue photographs for quality and uniformity of saree/lehenga/sherwani categories
- Join a sign-up and start to use AI Vastra integration right away, considering the estimated 2-week installation period.
- If time is limited, focus on your top-selling holiday items first.
- Try the web application on a sample of items before rolling it out across your full catalogue.
- Promote the new try-on feature across your site and social channels as Diwali traffic ramps up
Check our Pricing page to see what fits your catalogue size before the season peaks.
With Diwali shopping already accelerating, the brands moving on virtual try-ons now are the ones positioned to capture the 81% of shoppers actively looking for it. Waiting until next season means handing that advantage to competitors who move first.

