YouTube Expands Shopping Program in India with Nykaa and Purplle Integration

YouTube is scaling up its YouTube Shopping programme in India, aiming to help creators monetize their content while making it easier for viewers to shop products they love. With AI-powered tools, new merchant partners, and enhanced brand collaboration features, YouTube is strengthening its social commerce ecosystem in the country.

Rising Demand for YouTube Shopping

YouTube reports that shopping-related watch time in India has surged over 250% in the last year. Additionally, over 200 million logged-in users have searched for products on the platform, signaling a growing appetite for video-led shopping experiences.

To meet this demand, YouTube is expanding its Shopping Affiliate programme, which now includes prominent beauty and lifestyle platforms such as Nykaa and Purplle, alongside existing partners Flipkart and Myntra.

Empowering Creators with Affiliate Programs

The expansion allows creators to tag products from these merchant partners directly in their videos. Nykaa has also launched a programme with YouTube to discover and accelerate the next generation of India’s beauty and lifestyle creators.

Since the affiliate programme was introduced a year ago, more than 40% of eligible creators in India have signed up, tagging over 3 million videos with products. This demonstrates the growing adoption of social commerce among creators.

Smarter Tools for Creators

YouTube is rolling out AI-powered tools to simplify the shopping experience. Soon, products mentioned in a video will automatically appear as tags at the exact moment they are discussed.

Later in the year, YouTube plans to test automatic tagging for all eligible products, reducing manual effort for creators. Additional tools include:

• Product Stickers on Shorts

• Synced Timestamps for product mentions

• Chrome Extension for saving products efficiently

These features aim to enhance engagement while making monetization seamless for creators.

Enhanced Brand Collaboration Features

YouTube is also introducing new tools to facilitate partnerships between creators and brands:

• Creators can insert and update brand segments in videos.

• Add links to brand websites in Shorts for direct traffic.

• Brands can find the right creators via the Creator Partnerships Hub in Google Ads.

These updates ensure that collaborations are authentic, profitable, and measurable, benefiting both creators and merchants.

Expert Opinions on YouTube Shopping Expansion

Gunjan Soni, Managing Director – India, YouTube, stated,

“We’re building a complete monetization ecosystem. By giving creators new tools, engaging formats for viewers, and partnerships with top merchants, YouTube is shaping the future of shopping on video.”

Pratik Arun Shetty, VP – Growth & Marketing, Flipkart, added,

“YouTube is where discovery meets shopping. Creators can now inspire customers and turn that inspiration into action, especially during the festive season.”

Deepash Jain, VP Marketing, Myntra, mentioned,

“Our creator collaborations on YouTube have tripled in the last year. Social-led commerce is helping customers discover products in a more authentic, engaging way.”

Nykaa and Purplle echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that YouTube Shopping allows creators to connect with audiences authentically, helping viewers discover products while driving measurable business growth.

The Future of Social Commerce on YouTube

With these initiatives, YouTube is positioning itself as a key player in India’s social commerce market. The platform aims to create a sustainable business model for creators, enhance product discovery for viewers, and strengthen brand partnerships.

By integrating AI, affiliate programs, and tools for seamless brand collaborations, YouTube is helping creators turn content into revenue while enabling users to shop directly from videos—making video commerce more accessible and interactive than ever.