By Siddhi Jain
New Delhi, Jul 3 (IANSlife): Indians seem to be completing minor home repairs themselves as they limit outsider entry into their interior spaces, as an e-commerce platform sees fast growth in the sale of Do it Yourself (DIY) products and repairing tools like hand toolkit, drilling machines, bathroom and kitchen taps, and sewing machines.
Compared to pre-COVID times, sales of these products have grown 90 percent in the last two months. Shoppers are trying to be self-reliant by carrying out plumbing and electric repairs and minorhousehold tasks themselves, said Snapdeal.
The highest-selling DIY products on the online marketplace are household hand toolboxes comprising a range of screwdrivers, pliers, vise grips, claw hammer, socket wrench, ratchet handle, hacksaw frame, tape measure, electrical voltage tester, electric tape and suchlike. The toolboxes are designed to meet most repair needs at home.
Manual and electric drilling machines, ladders, kitchen and bathroom taps, tube lights and insulation tapes are among the other top sellers.
The sale of electric irons and ironing tables has grown five times in the last two months from previous levels. Users are also picking paint brushes, rollers and spray cans for miscellaneous painting work at home. There is also an increase in the demand for pest control items, insecticides and spray guns.
The sale of sewing machines and sewing kits for home tailoring and alterations has surged. The best-seller in this category is a stapler-like hand sewing machines, which enables users to complete simple stitching works easily. Sewing and tailoring kits with measuring tapes, thread, needle, trimmer, and threader is also popular.
Hot glue guns, which are generally used for DIY craft, are a hit. Garden tool kits comprising trowels (khurpi), clippers, and weeding forks are the other favourite.
An unusual product, DIY new-born 3D hands and feet casting kits are getting popular too.
"Increase in the sales of DIY products and repairing tools indicate people are taking utmost precautions in their daily lives. They are choosing safety over the comfort of engaging external help and are opting for a more self-reliant lifestyle," a Snapdeal spokesperson told IANSlife.
The sale of DIY products increased both in the metros and Tier 2 cities. While Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru and Mumbai recorded the highest sales in metros, most orders from non-metros originated in Chandigarh, Nagpur, Lucknow, Mysore and Coimbatore.
Most of the DIY products are priced under Rs 800, the spokesperson added.