E-commerce players, retailers and wholesalers are witnessing a robust pick up in demand for the upcoming festival season and a majority of them are gearing up to meet the rush.The upbeat mood among retailers and wholesalers comes against the backdrop of a slowdown in the economy, which could hold back consumers from splurging in the festive season. The string of reform measures unveiled by the government may have helped in changing the mood for now.Some retailers such as the Tata group's Croma believe online festive sales are actually a boon for brick-and-mortar stores. As the festive season draws near, pages of newspapers are steadily filling up with advertisements by retailers and brands. But, this year, offline retailers, too, have padded up to give them a run for their money. Many claimed they expect an increase of 20-30 percent over the previous year's sales during the festive season.A majority of retailers and e-commerce players said most of them had done good business during the southern Indian harvest festival Onam. With Durga Puja — celebrated in several states across the country — around the corner, sales have picked up in eastern regions as well. Small towns across the country are also expecting buoyant consumer sentiment to persist during Dussehra and Diwali.