JioMart and Meta launch the first-ever grocery shopping experience on WhatsApp; Check how to use it

Meta Platforms and Reliance Jio have announced a collaboration in which popular instant messaging app WhatsApp will offer an end-to-end JioMart shopping experience. In this first-ever offering on WhatsApp, now users will be able to browse catalogues, select items, make payment and place order all without ever leaving the chat window on WhatsApp. Similar to WeChat, this unique feature will let users get more done without ever needing to close the application. In a statement, Meta said, “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”. If you want to take advantage of this feature and get your JioMart shopping done on WhatsApp, find out how to use it below. 

WhatsApp to offer JioMart shopping experience within its app

Interestingly, two years ago Meta bought a 9.99% stake in Reliance Jio Platforms at the price of Rs. 43,574 crore. This feature appears to be the next step in offering a collaborative initiative.

 “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,” said Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, Reliance Industries. 

Mark Zuckerberg also stated in a Facebook page that this new initiative will pave the way for future businesses to reach the customers easily and help users find a common point for their shopping needs. He said, "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 like this will be the go-to way people and businesses communicate in the years to come. 

WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart shows how to use this feature

Cathcart posted a 54-second long video on Twitter highlighting how to use this new feature on WhatsApp. The steps to shop on JioMart inside WhatsApp has been given below. You can also watch the video here. 

1. First, you need to save this number: +917977079770. Some sources say that you can just search the number on WhatsApp, without needing to save it first. However, it did not work for us. 

2. Then, send a ‘hi’ to the number to get started. Enter your PIN code to confirm your location.

3. The bot will prompt you to get started and check the catalogue. You can click on it to check different products and add them to your cart.

4. Afterwards, you will need to add your address and choose a payment method between cash on delivery, pay on JioMart and pay on WhatsApp.

5. Once payment is made, the order will be placed automatically.