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.