Netcore’s playbook Beyond the Discount asks a simple question: is a hesitant customer unwilling to spend, or waiting for a reason to feel confident?

Its answer is that a bigger discount doesn’t fix every doubt. Some shoppers need reassurance, others a reminder, and many need help making a decision.

The retailer’s question shifts from “how much to discount” to “whom to approach, when, and with what.”

The opening example is a shopper delaying a Dhanteras gold purchase because of fluctuating prices and uncertainty about purity. A lower price wouldn’t resolve either worry.

How the festive shopper is changing

• One in four festive shoppers is a new customer (figures attributed to Bain and Flipkart’s 2026 research).

• Customers acquired in 2020 now make more than twice as many annual transactions as before.
• Quick commerce has grown roughly twofold year on year.

• Tier 3 towns account for about three-quarters of festive volume, with strong activity on Amazon, Flipkart and Meesho.

Together, these point to two opportunities: acquiring customers during the rush and giving them reasons to return afterwards.

Shoppers are also more deliberate, weighing value, convenience and relevance alongside price.

Five hypothetical shoppers, five different obstacles

Priya (first-time gold buyer): unsure about price, purity and what to buy. Fix: a way to lock in the day’s rate, with clear purity and buy-back information.

Ajay (bought a gift last Diwali, never returned): hasn’t started thinking about gifting again. Fix: a timely reminder with picks based on his earlier purchase.

Radhika (cart full of festive wear, comparing sites): worried about delivery before a party. Fix: live stock availability and delivery deadlines.

Santhosh (bought a TV): hasn’t thought of the soundbar, wall mount or installation. Fix: a relevant bundle, not an unrelated upsell.

Nisha (bought a lipstick once): repeated promotions haven’t worked. Fix: auto-reorder or a reminder when she’s likely to need a replacement.

The pattern: interest exists, but something in the buying process remains unresolved, and the retailer’s job is to find it.

Case studies

Fabindia: personalised campaigns and automated journeys on WhatsApp, email and app notifications, using AI-assisted segmentation to re-engage both registered customers and anonymous browsers. Netcore says digital revenue doubled and ROI was ninefold over 120 days. The takeaway is the value of following up after a first visit instead of paying again to attract the same person.

Senco Gold & Diamonds: around Akshaya Tritiya, tailored messages went out via WhatsApp, RCS and SMS to different groups (store shoppers, online buyers, digital gold investors). Netcore reports doubled conversions, over 5,000 store visits and a 13% rise in campaign engagement. It also shows that digital engagement can lead to showroom purchases.

Personalisation here extends beyond product recommendations to choosing whom to contact, through which channel, and when.

Life after Diwali

A customer won over by a promotion may not return once the sale ends, so the post-purchase period matters as much as the sale.

The playbook recommends engaging across the whole customer lifecycle: gift buyers before the next occasion, beauty buyers with replenishment prompts, electronics buyers with accessories or installation help.

It cautions against constant contact. Messaging someone who has just bought turns a useful reminder into noise.

Data is valuable partly because it helps brands decide when to stay silent.

Risks and caveats

• Too many messages can overwhelm customers, and inaccurate stock or delivery promises damage trust.

• Personalisation only works if the experience delivers what the message promises.

• The reported results are company-reported. They show what the campaigns achieved but don’t establish how much was caused by personalisation alone.

Takeaway

• Discounts haven’t become obsolete, and price still matters when shoppers can compare easily.

• But for a first-time gold buyer, trust may matter more; for a deadline shopper, delivery certainty; for a past customer, a well-timed nudge.

• Treating Diwali as an opportunity to understand customers, rather than a race to offer the biggest discount, may win a sale and also leave the brand remembered after the festive lights go out.