YouTube Expands Shopping Experience as 85 Percent of Indian Viewers Trust Creator Brand Collaborations

YouTube’s Next Big Bet on Creator Commerce

YouTube has unlocked a new chapter in India’s digital economy by expanding its YouTube Shopping experience, blending entertainment and e-commerce into one seamless ecosystem. The platform’s latest expansion brings new merchant partners, advanced monetisation tools, and AI-powered features to help creators turn engagement into purchases.

Shopping-related watch time in India has surged by over 250 percent in the past year, with more than 200 million logged-in users exploring shopping-related searches. This makes India one of YouTube’s most dynamic markets, where creators are becoming the bridge between discovery and decision-making.

To strengthen its presence in beauty and lifestyle, YouTube has partnered with Nykaa and Purplle, alongside existing players Flipkart and Myntra. These collaborations enable creators to tag products directly in their videos, allowing viewers to shop effortlessly while watching content.

Turning Creators into Commerce Leaders

Since launching its Shopping Affiliate Program, YouTube has seen strong adoption among Indian creators. Over 40 percent of eligible creators have joined the program, tagging more than three million videos with affiliate links. These tags connect audiences to real products — transforming simple recommendations into purchase journeys.

AI-powered product tagging now enhances this experience further by automatically identifying and displaying items when they are mentioned in videos. This ensures that creators can monetise naturally, without disrupting storytelling, while viewers can discover products at the exact moment their interest peaks.

The strategy aligns with a growing trend in India’s creator economy: authenticity. YouTube reports that 85 percent of Indian viewers find brand collaborations with creators genuine, demonstrating a high level of trust in creator-driven recommendations.

Deepening Creator and Brand Partnerships

To strengthen these collaborations, YouTube has rolled out a new set of creator tools and brand integration features. Creators can now add brand links directly to Shorts, adjust sponsored content segments, and access the new Creator Partnerships Hub within Google Ads to connect more efficiently with brands.

Gunjan Soni, Managing Director of YouTube India, said, “The next era of video commerce is being defined by India’s vibrant creator economy. We are scaling content-driven shopping from a successful program into a complete monetisation ecosystem. By empowering creators with tools and building new partnerships with leading merchants, YouTube is shaping the future of authentic discovery and sustainable business growth.”

Merchant Partnerships Redefining Discovery

With the addition of Nykaa and Purplle, YouTube is strengthening its foothold in one of India’s most engaged categories — beauty and lifestyle. According to YouTube’s insights, 89 percent of beauty shoppers in India say the platform helps them make more confident purchase decisions.

A Nykaa spokesperson said, “Nykaa has always believed in content-led commerce, where creators help our consumers discover beauty in authentic, meaningful ways. Partnering with YouTube Shopping takes that mission further by combining scale with trust.”

Suyash Katyayani, Co-founder and CTO of Purplle, added, “Our collaboration with YouTube is built on the shared vision of blending content and commerce. YouTube’s reach allows us to engage with millions of Indian consumers, turning entertainment into measurable growth for brands.”

E-commerce giants are also seeing tangible impact. Flipkart’s Vice President of Growth and Marketing, Pratik Arun Shetty, noted that creator collaborations on YouTube have transformed how customers engage with brands. “The intersection of content and commerce allows inspiration to become action instantly. Our partnership with YouTube reflects how shopping is evolving into a more personal, entertainment-driven experience.”

Beauty, Fashion, and the Creator Economy Boom

YouTube’s partnerships have had a visible effect on categories like fashion and beauty. Myntra’s VP of Marketing, Deepash Jain, shared that the brand’s creator collaborations on YouTube have grown threefold in the past year, driving meaningful engagement and attracting new customers through relatable storytelling.

“The collaboration between creators, content, and commerce is changing how Indians shop. Social-led discovery is not just influencing what people buy but how they feel about brands,” Jain said.

The platform’s combination of AI innovation, authentic partnerships, and a thriving creator base positions it as a major force in India’s next phase of digital shopping — where discovery and purchase happen in a single tap.

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