The Meta-commissioned study by GWI highlights how consumers are increasingly seeking online experiences even in offline purchases, how they are discovering new products and brands online, and relying on online touchpoints such as influencers, short-form video content, and messaging to determine their shopping experience and purchase decisions.
Social media is transforming how Indians shop, even in physical stores, a Meta-commissioned GWI study reveals. Surveying 2,548 internet users aged 16-64, the study shows 8 in 10 shoppers discover products via social media, with 96% of these discoveries on Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These platforms now rival in-store displays, shaping both online and offline purchase decisions in India’s evolving retail landscape.
“Indian shoppers are social-first, mobile-first, and video-first, whether buying online or in-store,” said Meghna Apparao, Meta India’s Director of E-commerce and Retail. “Reels, influencers, and messaging enable retailers to engage customers across touchpoints, creating seamless online-to-offline experiences that drive sales.” The study highlights how these tools help retailers connect with consumers, boosting metrics across the purchase funnel.
Short-form videos, particularly Reels, are reshaping buying behavior. Nearly one-third of viewers purchase products after watching brand videos on Meta platforms, with luxury goods benefiting most from visually engaging content. Influencer marketing also plays a pivotal role, with 6 in 10 shoppers following national influencers who significantly influence product discovery and purchases, both online and in physical stores. WhatsApp further amplifies this trend, as 60% of users are likely to buy after seeing offers on the platform, driving store visits and conversions.
Meta’s new omnichannel advertising tools bridge the digital-physical divide, optimizing campaigns for real-world outcomes like store visits and sales. These solutions integrate Meta’s performance tools to enhance customer journeys across channels. Pelki Tshering, Chief Marketing Officer at Tanishq, lauded Meta’s Click-to-WhatsApp feature, which delivered a 14x return on ad spend (ROAS) for offline sales. In early tests of Meta’s omnichannel ads, Tanishq saw a 40% ROAS increase for online purchases and improved offline sales. Similarly, Aishwarya Omprakash, Head of Marketing at Taneira, reported a pilot campaign using omnichannel ads achieved 3.5x higher purchase conversions and 4.3x better ROAS compared to purchase-only optimized campaigns.
As social media reshapes retail, Meta platforms empower brands to meet India’s social-first shoppers where they are. By leveraging influencers, short-form videos, and messaging, retailers can create compelling experiences that drive discovery, engagement, and sales across both digital and physical channels. The study underscores the growing importance of these tools in helping offline retailers scale in a competitive market, offering a blueprint for brands to thrive in India’s dynamic retail ecosystem.
In line with these consumer shifts, Meta recently also announced new omnichannel advertising capabilities that help brands better connect the dots between online engagement and in-store actions. These solutions enable retailers to optimize campaigns for real-world outcomes such as store visits and in-store sales by integrating Meta’s performance tools across both digital and physical customer journeys.
