On this page
Festive hiring to reach 2.5 to 2.7 lakh formal roles as e-commerce and quick commerce lean on Tier II, III cities
Organised-sector seasonal staffing is expected to rise 15 per cent to 20 per cent to about 2.5 to 2.7 lakh formal roles, against about 2.16 lakh in 2025. Quick commerce, e-commerce and logistics lead demand, with Tier-II and III cities growing 25-30 per cent.
Channel facts
Figures from Deccan Herald Business,
| Tier-II and Tier-III share of demand: | nearly 45 per cent |
|---|---|
| Festive hiring on foundit, 2026: | 127,080 jobs |
| Ekart delivery hubs added: | 900 |
What it means for online and offline
With Flipkart and Ekart building seasonal workforce and delivery-hub capacity in smaller cities, look at last-mile logistics, staffing and hub-infrastructure players with Tier II and III reach as partnership or acquisition targets.
Signals to track
- Order volumes and delivery-promise performance reported after the 8 October sales
- Staffing-firm updates on whether seasonal placements land at 2.5 to 2.7 lakh
- Rival announcements of seasonal hiring, hub openings or higher delivery-partner pay
- Signs of attrition or labour shortages in Tier II and III cities mid-season
- Post-festive disclosures on how many seasonal workers are retained or converted
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- Flipkart is likely to keep adding seasonal and delivery capacity in Tier II and III cities if early sale-day volumes hold, building on the more than 2.5 lakh seasonal jobs it has already created.
- Ekart is likely to push more volume through its 900 new delivery hubs and shift last-mile load toward smaller cities as the 8 October sales approach.
- Rival marketplaces and quick-commerce operators may raise incentives and pay to attract delivery and warehouse staff in the same smaller cities, since they are competing for one labour pool.
- Expect staffing and recruitment firms to report a higher share of formal, organised-sector placements as platforms lean on them for seasonal ramp-ups.
- Platforms may convert a small share of top-performing seasonal workers into longer-term roles after the festive peak, depending on how Tier II and III volumes hold.
The source
Published
First seen