Main Highlights:
- The JioMart on WhatsApp will revolutionize the way businesses in India connect with consumers and simplify the consumer shopping experience, as per the release
- The first end-to-end shopping experience on WhatsApp, allowing people in India to browse the JioMart catalog, add products to their cart and pay to complete purchases, all within WhatsApp.
- People in India can start shopping on JioMart through WhatsApp simply by sending ‘Hi’ to the JioMart number.
On Monday, Meta and Jio Platforms announced the introduction of the first-ever shopping experience on WhatsApp, allowing users to purchase from JioMart from within their WhatsApp chat, a global-first end-to-end purchasing experience on the popular instant messaging network.
The introduction of JioMart on WhatsApp comes two years after Meta and JioMart began testing an interface with select customers. If it is effective, a commerce engine may be a significant source of money for WhatsApp, which has previously avoided providing advertising to app users.
According to the firms, customers in India will be able to explore JioMart’s complete food inventory on WhatsApp, add things to a basket, and make payments using local payments channel UPI without ever leaving the instant messaging app.
After multiple delays and failures, WhatsApp, which is used by about half a billion Indians each month, received clearance earlier this year to expand its UPI-powered payments service to 100 million users in the nation.
According to Reliance Retail, “JioMart on WhatsApp will enable users in India, including those who have never shopped online before, to seamlessly browse through JioMart’s entire grocery catalogue, add items to cart, and make the payment to complete the purchase – all without leaving the WhatsApp chat.”
According to the press release, the launch is part of “a strategic relationship between Meta and Jio Platforms to drive India’s digital transformation and give possibilities for individuals and organisations of all kinds to interact in new ways.”
and promote the country’s economic growth,” adding that the JioMart on WhatsApp would redefine how businesses in India communicate with consumers and simplify the consumer buying experience.
Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s Founder and CEO, commented on Facebook, “happy to announce our relationship with JioMart in India.” This is our first-ever end-to-end buying experience on WhatsApp, with users able to purchase groceries from JioMart directly within a chat.”
“Business messaging is an area with significant momentum,” said Meta CEO, “and chat-based experiences like this will be the go-to way consumers and organisations interact in the years to come.”
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, stated, “Our objective is to promote India as the world’s premier digital society.” Mark and I shared a goal of bringing more individuals and companies online and building really creative solutions that would enhance ease to the daily life of every Indian when Jio platforms and Meta announced our alliance in 2020.”
In a Facebook post, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated, “Excited to begin our cooperation with JioMart in India.” This is our first-ever end-to-end buying experience on WhatsApp, with users able to purchase groceries from JioMart directly within a chat.”
“Business messaging is an area with significant momentum, and chat-based experiences like this will be the go-to way consumers and businesses connect in the years to come,” he said in an announcement timed to coincide with Reliance Industries’ annual general meeting (AGM), JioMart’s parent company.
According to a press release from Reliance, the service “would enable customers in India, including those who have never shopped online before, to easily explore JioMart’s entire food inventory, add goods to basket, and make the payment to finish the purchase—all without leaving the WhatsApp chat.”
“The JioMart on WhatsApp experience furthers our commitment to offering a simple and easy means of online buying,” said Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries.
“Reliance Retail is seeking to reach as many people as possible across the country, and WhatsApp is a logical platform because India is the world’s largest market for the messaging app,” said Devangshu Dutta, CEO of retail consultant Third Eyesight. While WhatsApp is vital for development, Reliance Retail will also need to concentrate on product availability and delivery costs, according to him.
Ambani stated that Reliance’s retail business model is based on “five imperatives,” or ‘Panch Pran.’ These include: enhancing the customer experience through technology; operationalizing and increasing numerous channels; and connecting with small merchants and giving them with a platform to thrive. The fourth need is to broaden the product line, and the fifth is to improve logistics and the supply chain.
At the AGM, Isha Ambani, director at Reliance Retail Ventures, stated that the digital commerce platforms—reliancedigital.in and JioMart—enabled the retail giant to deliver 93% of online purchases from shops within six hours. “During the year, we launched our JioMart Digital (JMD) programme. “The platform enables small electronics retailers to offer Reliance Retail’s full product line on an aided selling model, allowing them to provide exceptional customer experience while increasing their income,” she explained.
According to Isha Ambani, the company’s new commerce project is on track to work with one crore merchants as it expands to encompass the whole country in the next five years.
How to use this feature
Cathcart posted a 54-second long video on Twitter highlighting how to use this new feature on WhatsApp. The steps to shop on JioMart inside WhatsApp has been given below.
1. First, you need to save this number: +917977079770. Some sources say that you can just search the
number on WhatsApp, without needing to save it first. However, it did not work for us.
2. Then, send a ‘hi’ to the number to get started. Enter your PIN code to confirm your location.
3. The bot will prompt you to get started and check the catalogue. You can click on it to check different
products and add them to your cart.
4. Afterwards, you will need to add your address and choose a payment method between cash on delivery,
pay on JioMart and pay on WhatsApp.
5. Once payment is made, the order will be placed automatically.
