Meesho Content Commerce NMV rises 152 per cent in 12 months

MUMBAI: The creator economy is getting a checkout button. Meesho’s Content Commerce business has recorded 152 per cent year-on-year growth in Net Merchandise Value (NMV) over the past 12 months, as creators, consumers and sellers from smaller Indian cities increasingly turn content into a route to purchase.

The e-commerce platform said 1.6 lakh creators were active on its Content Commerce ecosystem during the period, with around 90 per cent of them classified as nano creators. The model is also heavily tilted towards non-metro India, with 81 per cent of the creator base coming from outside the country’s major metropolitan markets.

The numbers suggest that creator commerce is moving beyond the familiar world of celebrity influencers and big-city content creators. On Meesho, Tier 3 and Tier 4 markets accounted for 66 per cent of Content Commerce orders, putting smaller cities firmly in the middle of the platform’s content-led shopping story.

Varanasi, Agartala, Jabalpur and Madurai were among the Tier 3 and Tier 4 markets contributing to that 66 per cent share. The geographic spread mirrors the composition of the creator network, suggesting that creators are increasingly using their understanding of local audiences, tastes and shopping habits to influence product discovery.

The creator mix itself offers another clue to how the ecosystem is expanding. Homemakers made up 40 per cent of Meesho’s active creator base, while young graduates accounted for 30 per cent, or around 50,000 creators.

Among active homemaker creators, around 78 per cent came from non-metro India. Meesho also said 25 per cent of its active creators were first-time creators, indicating that the platform is bringing people into the creator economy who may not have previously considered content creation a commercial activity.

Nikita Dawda, General Manager, Content Commerce, Meesho, said shopping journeys are becoming increasingly discovery-led, with consumers using videos, recommendations and creators to understand products before making a purchase. She attributed the 152 per cent NMV growth to the expansion of the creator base and increasing participation across the ecosystem.

The model effectively changes the role of content from something that merely attracts attention into a direct sales channel. Creators can produce content around products and earn commissions on orders generated through that content, tying their commercial returns to transactions rather than simply views, likes or followers.

That distinction matters as online shopping becomes less dependent on the traditional search box. Instead of knowing exactly what they want before opening an app, consumers can encounter a product through a video, see it being used or demonstrated, and then decide whether to explore it further.

Meesho’s Video Finds short-form content surface has become a major part of that discovery journey. The platform recorded nearly 4,800 crore content views and around 9,000 crore minutes of watch time over the past 12 months.

According to Meesho, Video Finds allows consumers to see products in use and assess details such as appearance, size, fit and functionality before purchasing. The format therefore brings an element of demonstration and recommendation into the shopping journey that a conventional product listing may not provide.

Women’s fashion remains the largest category for creator-led shopping on Meesho. However, the company said content-led discovery is spreading into categories such as electronics accessories, personal care and home products, widening the role of creators beyond fashion and lifestyle recommendations.

The seller side is expanding alongside the creator network. More than 4 lakh Meesho sellers have opted into the Content Commerce ecosystem, giving them access to creators as an additional channel for generating demand.

This creates a three-way commerce loop: sellers supply the products, creators provide the discovery and recommendation layer, and consumers complete the transaction. Creators can also distribute their content both on Meesho and third-party social platforms, allowing the journey to begin outside the marketplace before moving to Meesho for product exploration or purchase.

The model is particularly relevant to India’s smaller markets, where local language, familiarity and community recommendations can influence shopping decisions. A creator who understands what works with audiences in a particular city or region can potentially act as both entertainer and product guide.

For Meesho, the 152 per cent rise in Content Commerce NMV is therefore less about one metric in isolation and more about the scale developing around it. The platform now points to 1.6 lakh active creators, more than 4 lakh participating sellers and nearly 4,800 crore Video Finds views as three pillars of its content-commerce ecosystem.

The growth also highlights how the creator economy is broadening its base. With nano creators accounting for around 90 per cent of the network, homemakers representing 40 per cent and young graduates contributing around 50,000 creators, Meesho’s model is drawing participation from people who sit well outside the traditional influencer playbook.

And with 66 per cent of Content Commerce orders coming from Tier 3 and Tier 4 markets, the checkout counter is increasingly being shaped far beyond India’s biggest cities. For Meesho, the next phase of content commerce may not be about finding the biggest creator, but finding the right creator for the right community and turning that local influence into a sale.