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Flipkart bets on livestreaming and videos to win over online shoppers
Flipkart sees video commerce as a key strategy, with two-thirds of Gen Z using videos to shop. Usage is also surging in tier-II and III cities, where video-led formats are gaining rapid traction
New Delhi
Walmart-owned e-commerce major Flipkart is leaning heavily into social video and livestreaming to attract young shoppers who are glued to their smartphones. The move reflects a broader strategy of the company to seek long-term customer loyalty by making online shopping more immersive and interactive.
Online shopping with live commerce
Using videos to display and promote products has become one of the company's key new strategies, Neha Agrahari, a director at Flipkart told Bloomberg News. 'Users prefer to watch a video and make a decision' when shopping, she said.
Agrahari believes video commerce is a natural progression, particularly with two-thirds of Gen Z consumers now favouring this style of shopping. Notably, 65 per cent of video and livestreaming interactions originate from India's tier-III and tier-III cities.
What is live commerce?
Live commerce merges real-time product purchasing with audience interaction via chat features or reaction buttons. In China, it has revolutionised the retail sector and emerged as a key sales channel. It now plays a central role in marketing campaigns for Singles' Day—a major shopping event in China—and is widely used as an effective digital strategy to enhance customer engagement and drive sales.
Competing for e-commerce dominance
Though video-based retailing is not new, Flipkart is banking on the format to outperform rivals such as Amazon.com Inc and Reliance Industries Ltd in the highly competitive Indian market. With around 650 million smartphone users in the country—and over 270 million of them shopping online—India has now overtaken the US as the world's second-largest e-retail market.
Flipkart's own data shows that video-led engagement is surging. In the first half of 2025, over 200 million users interacted with videos while shopping on its platform, a significant increase from 75 million in the same period last year.
Livestreams and influencers drive engagement
Flipkart began integrating video content into its app approximately 18 months ago. These videos promote a wide range of products, from sunscreen to electronics. Livestreams also allow users to ask real-time questions and receive responses from influencers and product experts, enhancing the customer experience. This approach mirrors successful models in China and other parts of Asia, where video-driven commerce is widely used. Other Indian players, including Meesho, which is backed by SoftBank Group Corp, are also adopting similar strategies by hiring influencers to promote products ranging from cosmetics to health supplements.
Building studios to boost sales
Agrahari stated that video-led shopping is already boosting sales in categories like fashion, beauty, personal care, and home decor. The platform now plans to expand this format to electronics and fitness products. To support content creation, Flipkart is constructing physical studios in Gurugram, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. These studios are designed to offer a seamless shooting and editing experience for its video creators, she said.
Growth in livestream engagement
Engagement with daily livestreams has seen a dramatic increase — up 17 times compared to last year, according to Agrahari. This growth is partly fuelled by practical and engaging product demonstrations. For instance, users test T-shirts by dipping them in water to check for colour fastness or use various foods to assess kitchen appliances' performance.
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