WhatsApp has partnered with India’s retail store, JioMart, to launch an in-app shopping feature where users can browse and purchase groceries without leaving the app. Meta said in a blog post; “JioMart on WhatsApp will enable people in India, including those who have never shopped online before, to seamlessly browse through JioMart’s entire grocery catalog. Shoppers can add items to their cart and make a payment to complete the purchase — all without leaving the WhatsApp chat.”
In-app Shopping Feature is Only Available in India
Meta started testing the in-app shopping feature with select users two years ago where people were only able to browse products via WhatsApp but had to leave the service to finish the transaction. However, now, WhatsApp users in India will now be able to browse JioMart’s entire grocery catalog on the app, add items to the cart and make payments without having to leave WhatsApp. The in-app shopping feature is only available in India and it’s not clear if it will launch in other parts of the world.
Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer (CEO) of Meta Platforms, said in a Facebook post; “Excited to launch our partnership with JioMart in India. This is our first-ever end-to-end shopping experience on WhatsApp — people can now buy groceries from JioMart right in a chat. Business messaging is an area with real momentum and chat-based experiences like this will be the go-to way people and businesses communicate in the years to come.”
Facebook Invests $5.7 Billion in Jio Platforms
In 2020, Facebook announced a $5.7 Billion investment in Jio Platforms to enable new opportunities for businesses of all sizes. Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, said; “The JioMart on WhatsApp experience furthers our commitment to enabling a simple and convenient way of online shopping to millions of Indians.”
Also read: Mukesh Ambani Resigns and Akash Ambani Takes Over as Reliance Jio Chairman
