Meta, Jio Platforms team up to launch JioMart on WhatsApp 

NEW DELHI: Reliance Retail's customers will now be able to order groceries on WhatsApp, as tech giant Meta and Jio Platforms have collaborated to launch JioMart on the popular messaging platform.

JioMart on WhatsApp will enable users in India, including first-time online shoppers, to seamlessly browse through JioMart's grocery catalogue, add items to cart, and make the payment to complete the purchase, without leaving the WhatsApp chat, according to a joint statement.

Speaking at the 45th AGM of Reliance Industries, Isha Ambani, 30, gave a presentation on placing online grocery orders using WhatsApp (Meta-owned platform) and making payments.

Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Meta, in a Facebook post said: "Excited to launch our partnership with JioMart in India. This is our first-ever end-to-end shopping experience on WhatsApp -- people can now buy groceries from JioMart right in a chat".

Business messaging is an area with "real momentum" and chat-based experiences will be the go-to way people and businesses communicate in the years to come, said the top honcho of Meta.

Reliance Industries' Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said, "Our vision is to propel India as the world's leading digital society".

"When Jio platforms and Meta announced our partnership in 2020, Mark and I shared a vision of bringing more people and businesses online and creating truly innovative solutions that will add convenience to the daily lives of every Indian. One example of an innovative customer experience that we are proud of developing is the first ever end-to-end shopping experience with JioMart on WhatsApp," the RIL Chairman said.

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The JioMart on WhatsApp experience furthers the commitment of enabling a simple and convenient way of online shopping to millions of Indians, he added.

The launch is part of a strategic partnership between Meta and Jio Platforms to accelerate India's digital transformation and provide people and businesses of all sizes opportunities to connect in new ways and fuel economic growth in the country.

"The JioMart on WhatsApp experience will revolutionise the way millions of businesses across the country connect with their consumers while bringing unparalleled simplicity and convenience to people's shopping experience," the joint statement said.

It is pertinent to mention that in April 2020, Facebook had announced an investment of USD 5.7 billion (Rs 43,574 crore) to buy a 9.99 per cent stake in Jio Platforms.

In all, Jio Platforms, which houses India's youngest but largest telecom firm Jio and apps, had raised about Rs 1,52,056 crore from 13 investors, including Facebook, Google, Silver Lake, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR, Mubadala, ADIA, TPG, L Catterton, among others, for total 32.9 per cent stake.