Indian e-commerce platforms are undergoing a significant transformation, moving beyond traditional social media to embrace influencer-generated content directly on their apps. Major players like Amazon, Myntra, Meesho, and Nykaa are increasingly becoming preferred destinations for content creators, challenging the dominance of established platforms like Instagram and YouTube.
The Rise of In-App Content Creation
Instead of merely collaborating with publishers through affiliate programs, e-commerce platforms now enable influencers and everyday users to create, publish, and livestream directly within their applications. This strategic shift has multiplied affiliate marketing activity on these platforms over the past year, according to retail executives.
Myntra's chief marketing officer Sunder Balasubramanian reported an impressive 240% growth in video content on the platform within approximately one year. This surge reflects the increasing importance of visual content in driving consumer engagement and sales.
Creator Earnings Skyrocket
The shift toward content-driven commerce has significantly boosted creator incomes. Commission payments for sales generated through product recommendations have increased substantially, with an estimated 200,000 creators across fashion, beauty, technology, home decor, and cooking categories witnessing their earnings double.
Harsh Pandit, a fashion creator with 424,000 Instagram followers, explained that while e-commerce has become a solid income extension for creators, compensation differs from traditional brand collaborations. "A creator with five lakh followers might earn around ₹25,000 per hour from a live e-commerce session, compared to about ₹1 lakh for a similar brand promotion video on Instagram," he noted.
However, the key difference lies in audience intent. Viewers on e-commerce platforms typically watch content with purchase intentions, whereas Instagram engagement might stem from simply appreciating the creator's style.
Platform Initiatives and Festival Performance
Amazon India's nearly decade-old influencer program has gained remarkable traction recently. Zahid Khan, Director of Shopping Experience at Amazon India, revealed that Amazon.in's Influencer Program now includes over 100,000 creators, with many advancing to more sophisticated roles over time.
The platform now averages 45 daily livestreams featuring product recommendations, where creators engage customers through real-time demonstrations, Q&A sessions, and exclusive promotions. During the Amazon Great Indian Festival, the company featured:
- Over 2,000 livestreams
- Hosted by more than 900 trusted creators and category experts
- Including notable personalities like chef Kunal Kapur and makeup educator Sumukhi Suresh
Khan reported that engagement doubled during the festive sale, with 1.5 times more views and double the conversions compared to non-sale events.
Regular Users Turned Creators
This content-driven commerce model isn't limited to established influencers. Myntra has cultivated a community of over 3.5 million shopper-creators through its Ultimate Glam Clan initiative, resulting in a 20% month-on-month increase in app sign-ups.
Active content creators within this community typically earn between ₹3,000-4,000 monthly on average, demonstrating the financial potential for regular users participating in content creation.
IPO-bound Meesho has also capitalized on this trend, reporting in its draft prospectus that within 12 months ending June 30, the platform enabled 39,618 active content creators who posted 679,466 "order generating content" pieces. The company generated ₹7.07 billion in net merchandise value from content commerce in fiscal 2025, achieving this growth within just 23 months of launching the feature in May 2023.
Category Leaders and Seasonal Peaks
Technology has emerged as one of the dominant content categories alongside beauty and fashion. Tech creator Dhananjay Bhosale, with 631,000 Instagram followers, explained that "tech products are usually higher-value, long-term investments, so consumers want to choose carefully based on their budgets and needs."
Bhosale highlighted that while typically 10-20% of a creator's monthly income comes from e-commerce collaborations, this figure jumps by 40-50% during September and October when e-commerce giants run their flagship sales. Live videos prove particularly effective during these periods, enabling two-way interactions and personalized product suggestions.
Madhulika Tiwari, a partner specializing in retail and consumer goods at The Knowledge Company, noted that e-commerce platforms are doubling down on influencer-driven campaigns as creators offer a more affordable and targeted marketing alternative to traditional advertising. However, she cautioned that platforms must remain vigilant about potential reputational risks given the low entry barriers for creators.
The transformation of e-commerce platforms into content hubs represents a fundamental shift in how Indians shop online, blending entertainment, information, and commerce into a seamless experience that benefits both platforms and creators alike.
