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- October 26, 2026
- 1
- Business Directory , Diwali business checklist
In short
- Festive shoppers search "near me" before they leave home, so your listings matter most in the weeks before Diwali.
- Update hours for every festival day, including the days you close.
- Add your festive offers, fresh photos and the products people are looking for.
- Check that your phone number works and that someone answers it.
In this article
- 1. Set your festive hours on every listing
- 2. Check that your phone number works
- 3. Tell people about your offers
- 4. Add fresh photos
- 5. List the products and services people search for
- 6. Make it easy to find you
- 7. Say how people can pay
- 8. Reply to recent reviews
- 9. Prepare for bulk and corporate orders
- 10. Plan the week after
- Not listed yet?
- Frequently asked questions
The weeks before Diwali are the busiest of the year for most Indian shops and many service businesses. People are buying sweets, clothes, gifts, electronics, home décor and lights, and they are booking painters, cleaners, caterers and decorators. Most of them start with a search on their phone.
If your listing shows the wrong hours, an old phone number or photos from three years ago, those customers go to the next result. Here is a ten-point checklist you can finish in an evening.
1. Set your festive hours on every listing
Many shops stay open late in the days before Diwali and close on Lakshmi Puja or the day after. Customers who arrive to find your shutter down rarely come back.
- Add special hours for each festival day on Google Business Profile, GetBusiness and any other site you use.
- If you close for a few days, say so clearly and say when you reopen.
- After the festival, switch back to your normal hours.
2. Check that your phone number works
It sounds obvious, but numbers change, SIMs are replaced and landlines stop working. Call the number on each of your listings from another phone. If it goes to a staff member who has left, or to voicemail that is full, fix it now.
During the rush, make sure someone answers. A missed call in festive week is often a lost sale.
3. Tell people about your offers
A short line such as "10% off all gift hampers until Diwali" or "Free home delivery on orders above ₹1,000" gives searchers a reason to choose you.
- Put the offer in your listing description or a post on your Google Business Profile.
- Give an end date so the offer does not stay up after the festival.
- Keep it honest: if you say "free delivery", don't add a charge at checkout.
4. Add fresh photos
Customers want to see what your shop looks like now — the festive display, the new stock, the sweets counter, the gift packs. Take five or six clear photos in daylight and add them to your listings.
Our guide on why good images matter explains what to shoot and what to avoid.
5. List the products and services people search for
People search for specific things: "dry fruit gift box", "diya wholesale", "rangoli colours", "house painting before Diwali", "LED lights shop". If you sell or do these things, mention them by name in your description and services.
This is where using keywords well pays off. Write naturally — a list of products is fine, a block of repeated keywords is not.
6. Make it easy to find you
- Check your map pin. Open your listing on a phone and tap "Directions" to confirm it takes people to your door, not the back lane.
- Add a landmark to your address ("opposite the Gurudwara", "next to SBI ATM").
- Say whether parking is available — in festive traffic, it matters.
7. Say how people can pay
Many buyers now expect to pay by UPI, and some want to use a card for large purchases. Mention the payment methods you accept in your listing. If your listing site has an amenities or facilities section, tick the right boxes.
8. Reply to recent reviews
Festive shoppers read reviews, and they notice whether the owner replies. Spend fifteen minutes thanking people for recent reviews and responding calmly to any complaints.
After each sale in the rush, ask happy customers to leave a review. A small card or a QR code at the counter makes it easy — you can make one free with our QR code generator.
9. Prepare for bulk and corporate orders
Diwali brings corporate gifting orders for sweets, dry fruits, hampers and personalised gifts. If you take bulk orders:
- Say so in your listing ("Corporate orders welcome — minimum 25 boxes").
- Give a contact number or email for bulk enquiries.
- Mention if you can provide a GST invoice — business buyers often need one to claim input tax credit.
10. Plan the week after
After Diwali, many businesses go quiet. Plan a simple message for your regular customers — a thank-you, a post-festival discount or a reminder about services such as cleaning or repairs. And remember to remove expired offers from your listings.
Make this a habit
Keep a list of every site where your business is listed, with the login for each. Then updating hours and offers before each festival — Holi, Eid, Onam, Durga Puja, Christmas — takes minutes, not hours.
Not listed yet?
If your business is not on GetBusiness yet, the Starter plan is free and takes a few minutes. Your listing appears in category and city searches such as shopping and retail or events and entertainment.
Frequently asked questions
When should I update my listing for Diwali?
Two to three weeks before the festival is ideal. Many people start shopping and booking services early, and some sites take a day or two to show changes.
Should I mention discounts in my business name?
No. Your business name should be your real name only. Put offers in your description or in a post — adding them to the name breaks the rules of most sites and can get the listing suspended.
What if I close for Diwali?
Set the days you are closed as special hours, and say when you reopen. Customers prefer knowing in advance to arriving at a closed shop.
Put your business on GetBusiness — free
Add your address, phone, hours, photos and services once and get found in category and city searches across India. The Starter plan is free; paid plans add more categories, links and badges.
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