Indian consumers are increasingly navigating seamlessly between social media, online platforms and physical stores, prompting a structural shift towards omnichannel retail models, according to a new whitepaper released by Meta in collaboration with the Retailers Association of India (RAI).
The report finds that shoppers engaging across multiple channels are significantly more valuable to retailers. Consumers who purchase across channels spend 2.5 times more than single-channel shoppers and up to 73% more when interacting across multiple touchpoints. The study concludes that discovery, conversation and commerce are converging, making unified retail journeys central to future growth strategies.
Meghna Apparao, Director for E-Commerce and Retail (India) at Meta, stated that retail leaders should focus on three transformative pillars identified in the whitepaper. She indicated that brands should harness short-form video formats such as Reels and collaborate with creators to drive authentic engagement and brand storytelling. She further noted the importance of adopting omnichannel performance marketing to connect with consumers across platforms and leveraging WhatsApp as a direct and personalised commerce channel. She added that these strategies could unlock new growth opportunities, deepen customer relationships and strengthen competitive positioning in India’s evolving digital retail landscape.
Hitesh Bhatt, Director of Marketing and Communications at RAI, observed that retail had undergone a fundamental transformation, with consumers no longer shifting between online and offline environments but operating across both simultaneously. He explained that discovery, influence and purchase now frequently occur within the same journey, driven by content, creators, conversations and stores. He emphasised that the key challenge for retailers was no longer the adoption of digital tools but their integration to deliver measurable outcomes, adding that omnichannel maturity would define competitiveness in Indian retail.
The report highlights a transition from a search-driven transaction model to a scroll-led discovery ecosystem. It states that 77% of retail brand and product discovery now occurs on social media, with Meta platforms accounting for 96% of such discovery. Instagram and Facebook are said to play an increasingly influential role in shaping both online and offline purchases.
Short-form video has emerged as the dominant engagement format, with 97% of consumers reportedly watching such content daily and 60% of time spent on Facebook and Instagram devoted to video. The growth of micro and nano creators is also reshaping consumer trust and accelerating purchase decisions, with creator-led campaigns delivering measurable improvements in consideration, purchase intent and conversion.
The whitepaper points to the rise of “phygital” shopping behaviour, with more than half of consumers researching products online before purchasing in-store and a similar proportion researching in-store before completing purchases online. This fluid movement across touchpoints is prompting retailers to move beyond siloed digital and physical operations towards integrated commerce models that unify discovery, conversion and fulfilment.
Messaging platforms, particularly WhatsApp, are playing an increasingly important role in bridging discovery and transaction. The report states that 72% of product discovery now occurs on WhatsApp, underscoring the platform’s growing influence on purchase journeys.
Creators are also accelerating conversion, with 71% of consumers making a purchase within days of viewing creator content on Meta platforms. Retail brands utilising Reels and creator partnerships are said to achieve a 71% higher lift in brand intent and 19% lower customer acquisition costs, positioning short-form video and creator-led content as core performance drivers in India’s retail sector.
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
