Live Commerce Struggles in India Despite Creator Economy Boom
Digital
S
Storyboard•03-02-2026, 08:57
Live Commerce Struggles in India Despite Creator Economy Boom
- •Despite a $1-trillion creator-led influence projected by 2030, live commerce has not become a mass-market retail channel in India.
- •Years of platform experimentation by major players like Flipkart and Myntra, along with influencer-led broadcasts, have generated engagement but failed to achieve scale.
- •Key barriers include weak unit economics, fragmented infrastructure, varying internet quality, and cautious consumer buying behavior, limiting conversions.
- •Unlike China, where live selling is a primary retail channel, India's ecosystem lacks a seamless integration of entertainment, discovery, and transaction.
- •While the market is projected to grow significantly, past ventures like Bulbul and Simsim have failed due to low order values and high operational costs, indicating a mismatch between cost structures and average order values.
Why It Matters: Live commerce in India faces significant hurdles in achieving scale and profitability despite a booming creator economy.
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