Navratri shoppers splurge on clothes, appliances as gadgets get pricier

Sales of apparel, footwear, and cosnumer durables increased over 20% during the recent Navratri-Dussehra festive period. Car retail sales saw a slight increase of 2% despite last year's GST-driven rush. Appliance sales were particularly strong, with air conditioners experiencing a growth of more than 50%. However, smartphone and television sales faced challenges due to rising prices of memory chips.