Meta

AI Fuels India’s Omnichannel Shopping Surge: Meta & Retailers Association of India

Takeaways

  • Social media now influences 77% of retail purchase decisions with our platforms driving 96% of social discovery
  • Short-form video and creators reshaping trust and accelerating product discovery across India
  • Meta’s AI-led shopping tools like Omnichannel Optimization now optimize digital campaigns to drive verifiable in-store sales, unifying the customer journey 
  • WhatsApp emerging as a commerce engine connecting discovery, purchase and post-purchase journeys in one conversation

There is a dramatic shift happening in how India shops. As Indian consumers move fluidly between scrolling on social media and shopping in-store or online, retail journeys are becoming increasingly omnichannel. To understand this shift we have unveiled findings from a new whitepaper in collaboration with the Retailers Association of India (RAI) to highlight how AI, short-form video, creators, and messaging platforms are reshaping Indians to discover, evaluate, and purchase products across digital and physical channels.

The report finds that omnichannel shoppers are significantly more valuable with consumers who shop across channels spending 2.5 times more than single-channel shoppers and up to 73% more when engaging across multiple touchpoints. Blending research insights with real-world case studies, the whitepaper outlines how discovery, conversation, and commerce are converging to make unified retail journeys a core growth model.

“I urge retail leaders to focus on three transformative pillars highlighted in this whitepaper. First, harness the power of Reels and Creators to drive authentic engagement and brand storytelling. Second, embrace omnichannel performance marketing to seamlessly connect with consumers across platforms, optimizing reach and impact. Third, leverage WhatsApp as a direct, personalized channel for customer interaction and commerce. Together, these strategies unlock new growth opportunities, foster deeper relationships, and position your brand at the forefront of digital retail innovation in India’s dynamic market. ” – Meghna Apparao, Director, E-Commerce & Retail (India), Meta

“There has been a fundamental shift in retail: consumers no longer move between online and offline; they operate across both at once. Discovery, influence, and purchase now happen through content, creators, conversations, and stores, often in the same journey. For retailers, the challenge is no longer adopting digital tools, but integrating them to drive measurable outcomes. Omnichannel maturity will define competitiveness in Indian retail, and this report outlines what it takes to get there.” – Hitesh Bhatt, Director – Marketing & Communications, Retailers Association of India (RAI)

Social Media & Creators – The New Gateway to Retail 

The Indian retail landscape is undergoing a clear shift from a search-based transaction model to a scroll-led discovery ecosystem. Today, 77% of retail brand and product discovery happens on social media, with our platforms accounting for 96% of this discovery, underscoring the growing influence of Instagram and Facebook on both online and offline purchases.

Short-form video has emerged as the dominant engagement format, with 97% of consumers watching it daily and 60% of time on Facebook and Instagram spent on video. At the same time, the rise of micro and nano creators is reshaping trust and accelerating purchase decisions, with creator-led campaigns delivering measurable lifts across consideration, intent, and conversion.

“Reliance Digital has embraced a Reels-forward strategy, leveraging it to drive brand awareness and business outcomes on Meta. Central to this is our collaboration with regional creators on Meta, enabling authentic connections that resonate with diverse communities, delivering stronger engagement and measurable impact, making Meta an important pillar in our marketing strategy.” – Manoj Jain, Senior VP & Head, Omni Channel Marketing, Reliance Digital

AI-powered omnichannel is redefining retail growth

Indian consumers are increasingly adopting a “phygital” shopping behaviour, with more than half researching products online before buying in-store and a similar proportion researching in-store before purchasing online. This shift is pushing retailers to move beyond siloed digital and physical channels toward unified commerce models that integrate discovery, conversion, and fulfillment across touchpoints.

Retailers that have adopted integrated omnichannel strategies are reporting tangible business gains. Indian retailers using our Omnichannel Optimization have seen over fourfold improvements in omnichannel return on ad spend, while integrated data strategies have driven up to 15% revenue growth. Those integrating in-store sales data with our advertising measurement are also reporting two to fivefold increases in ROAS and up to ninefold incremental sales growth, underscoring the impact of unified data and AI-driven optimisation in connecting digital marketing to offline revenue.

“Meta’s AI-powered solutions have fundamentally elevated our omnichannel approach, enabling us to integrate offline data and activate performance marketing across all touchpoints. This strategic shift empowers us to optimize customer journeys, unlock new growth opportunities, and drive sustained incremental footfall & revenue impact—online and offline—while future-proofing our business in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.” – Amit Agarwal, CMO, Croma

WhatsApp Is Transforming Commerce into Conversations

Bridging discovery and transaction is the rapid rise of WhatsApp as a commerce channel, with messaging emerging as a powerful engine for discovery, conversion, and customer engagement. 72% of product discovery now happens on WhatsApp, highlighting the platform’s growing role in shaping purchase journeys.

Retailers using Business Messaging and Click-to-WhatsApp campaigns are seeing a 61% average improvement in return on ad spend, a 62% increase in leads generated, and 22% higher order values, reinforcing the role of conversational commerce in driving acquisition and sales.

Creators are further accelerating this shift, with 71% of consumers making a purchase within a couple of days after seeing creator content on our technologies, highlighting how discovery on social platforms is increasingly translating into real-world transactions. 

Businesses integrating in-store sales data with our advertising are seeing 2x–5x+ ROAS uplift and up to 9x incremental sales growth, demonstrating how AI-driven optimization and unified data can connect digital discovery with real-world commerce outcomes.

Key Stats from the Retail Whitepaper:

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