8 in 10 discover products via social media, most on Meta platforms: Study

With social media increasingly playing an important role in guiding purchase decisions, Meta has unveiled key consumer insights from a study on the Retail industry. 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. 

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According to the study, which was done with 2,548 internet users aged 16-64 across India, nearly 8 in 10 shoppers discover new products through social media, with 96% of these discoveries happening on Meta platforms, underscoring the role of Facebook and Instagram in today’s retail landscape. The influence is so significant that even in-store shoppers are increasingly relying more on online and particularly Meta platforms for discovery and research than just on physical retail displays.

“Indian shoppers today are social-first, mobile-first, and video-first irrespective of whether the purchase happens offline or online” said Meghna Apparao, director, e-commerce and retail at Meta in India, “With consumers increasingly relying on Reels, messaging, and influencer content to discover and evaluate products, offline retailers have an opportunity to reach their customers across multiple touch points simultaneously and harness the power of our platforms to build unique online and phygital experiences that also move metrics across the funnel.”

The study highlights the impact of video content on purchase behaviour. Two to three-minute videos and Reels on Meta platforms are proving highly effective, with nearly a third of surveyed viewers purchasing products featured in the brand videos. This trend is particularly prominent in luxury categories, where visual storytelling through short-form content significantly influences buying decisions.

Influencer marketing has emerged as a key driver of retail action across India. The study found that 6 in 10 shoppers follow national influencers, with this category of content creators having the biggest impact on both product discovery and purchase decisions. National influencer recommendations are driving sales both online and in physical stores, demonstrating the cross-channel influence of social media personalities.

Meta's messaging platform WhatsApp is also playing a crucial role in the purchase journey. Nearly 60% of users are likely to buy a product after seeing an offer on WhatsApp, highlighting how business messaging leads to tangible retail action and drives store visits.

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 optimise 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.

Said Pelki Tshering, chief marketing officer, Tanishq, “We’ve always believed in meeting our customers where they are — both online and offline. Meta’s solutions like Click to WhatsApp (CTWA) have helped us in that journey. By combining conversational commerce with tailored messaging, we’ve seen over 14x offline ROAS. What’s even more exciting is the potential of Meta’s omnichannel ads — allowing us to drive both online and in-store sales through a single, unified campaign. As one of the first to test the solution with offline CAPI, we’re seeing a 40% jump in ROAS for online purchases and an improvement in offline purchases. Meta’s retail solutions are helping us not just drive omni sales — but truly connect with our customers, wherever they are in their buying journey.”

Said Aishwarya Omprakash, head of marketing, Taneira, "In our pilot campaign utilising Meta’s omnichannel ads, we observed a significant boost in performance, achieving 3.5x higher purchase conversions and 4.3x higher Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) compared to campaigns optimized solely for purchases. This encouraging outcome reinforces the value of a multi-touchpoint strategy, and we’re excited to take this experiment further in the coming year."