YouTube is expanding its creator-led shopping ecosystem in India by bringing more major e-commerce platforms into its Shopping affiliate programme. The expansion adds Amazon, Meesho, AJIO, Tata CLiQ and Snapdeal, joining existing partners including Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, Purplle, Shopsy and Tira.
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YouTube launched its Shopping affiliate programme in India in October 2024, initially partnering with Flipkart and Myntra. The programme allows eligible creators to tag products in videos and earn commissions when viewers purchase through those product recommendations. Products can be featured across formats including long-form videos, Shorts and livestreams.
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The latest expansion reflects a broader shift in online shopping, where content discovery, product research and purchasing are increasingly connected. A viewer watching a product review, tutorial, unboxing or livestream can discover a product through a creator and move directly from content to a potential purchase.
For brands and online sellers, creator-led commerce creates another route for product discovery. Creators can demonstrate products, explain their features and share personal experiences, giving consumers more context before making a purchasing decision. YouTube says its expanded retail partnerships are designed to give creators access to products from major marketplaces, retailers and specialised brands through its shopping ecosystem.
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The growth in activity also highlights the increasing role of creators in India's digital commerce landscape. YouTube reports that average affiliate payouts to Indian creators increased by more than 160% year-over-year between Q1 2025 and Q1 2026. More than half of eligible Indian creators were enrolled in YouTube Shopping as of May 2026, while enrolled creators increased by more than 200% between June 2025 and June 2026. More than 19 million videos have also been tagged with affiliate products since the programme launched in India.
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Consumer activity on the platform has also grown. YouTube reported that more than 450 million logged-in users in India conducted shopping-related searches in June 2026, while shopping-related watch time in India increased by more than 55% year-over-year in April 2026. These figures are based on YouTube's own platform data. blog.google
The expansion is part of YouTube's broader global investment in shopping. In a September 23, 2026 announcement, YouTube said its Shopping affiliate programme would expand to 35 countries by the end of 2026. The company also announced that Amazon product tagging would expand to India and Brazil, further connecting creator recommendations with e-commerce opportunities.
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For online businesses, the development highlights how content is becoming an increasingly important part of the customer journey. Products can be discovered through creators, explained through useful content and then connected to a purchasing opportunity.
For platforms such as factori.com, this broader shift is relevant as e-commerce increasingly connects product discovery, promotion and purchasing across digital channels. As creators, social platforms and commerce services become more closely integrated, online businesses have additional ways to reach and engage potential customers.