Creators are increasingly shaping the way consumers discover and buy products, transforming commerce in India. They act as trusted guides, helping customers understand complex product features, evaluate options, and make informed decisions, especially in categories like technology and premium lifestyle goods. Their influence extends beyond major cities, reaching Tier 2 and Tier 3 audiences and helping brands connect with more diverse and engaged consumer bases.
E-commerce platforms and brands are responding by collaborating closely with creators, moving beyond traditional advertising. Creators now co-design content that demonstrates products in real-life scenarios, builds credibility, and drives engagement. Initiatives such as live commerce, short-form videos, and educational campaigns have become central to how brands leverage creators to influence consumer behaviour.
This shift has given rise to a new model of commerce where creators are not just promoters but active participants in the customer journey. Their involvement enhances product launches, shapes marketing strategies, and fosters community-driven engagement, creating a more participative and authentic ecosystem for both brands and consumers.
At a recent panel discussion on New Age Commerce: The Amazon and Samsung Partnership, held at Amazon’s Creator Connect: Reflect and Rise at Qla, Mehrauli, Delhi, industry leaders explored these trends and their implications. The session featured Saurabh Srivastava, Vice President at Amazon India, and Aditya Babbar, Vice President – Head of Product Marketing and E-commerce Business at Samsung India. Hundreds of emerging creators attended, while the broader event also saw participation from familiar faces such as Sameera Reddy, Saransh Goila, and Kritika Khurana, along with technologists and industry observers.
Opening the session, Amazon’s Saurabh Srivastava spoke about the scale of behavioural change in online shopping. “Two crore customers this year have discovered products on Amazon because of creator content. We now have 1.25 lakh creators and they have transformed how customers evaluate high involvement technology products,” he said.
Srivastava noted that creators have become trusted decision enablers. “The cost of getting a tech purchase wrong is high for users. Creators simplify it, they explain it in their own language and context, and that makes life easier for customers, for Samsung and for Amazon.”
Samsung’s Multi-Year Bet on the Creator Ecosystem
Taking the conversation forward, Samsung’s Babbar traced the company’s shift to a creator-first model. “Three to four years back, we went back to our drawing board and said, what do we need to do? If we can make a gamer play, a teacher teach and a student learn, that is where Galaxy of Possibilities was born,” he said.
He broke down the scale of the initiative. “We have almost 500 creators in the gaming zone. Last year alone we certified 8,000 teachers under Galaxy Empower. Today we have 50,000 creators working with us and the programme has crossed 500 million views.”
Babbar highlighted the centrality of creators in Samsung’s launches. “For recent launches, 500 creators made 1,300 pieces of content and reached 500 million views. Creators put the technology into the viewer’s life, and that is why they are part of every launch.”
Srivastava noted that regional creators are widening Amazon’s reach in smaller towns. “Almost two thirds of creators are creating in regional languages. Their followers come from the same places. They explain features in a way that feels familiar and that is building trust,” he said.
Both companies emphasised that live commerce has become a major conversion driver. Babbar said, “We were the first in India to do a regional live. Last year we did 15 live commerce sessions and we are looking to double it this year.”
Srivastava shared Amazon’s scale. “In the first 48 hours of our biggest event, we had around 40 hours of content on Amazon Live. Viewership was up 6.5 times and sales were up 24 times. Customers feel they are getting very authentic information.”
Why Samsung and Amazon Call Creators Their Launch Partners
Babbar outlined how creators can enter Samsung’s ecosystem. “We run three programs which are completely open for anybody to join, which is Galaxy Creator Program, Galaxy Gamer Program and Galaxy Education Program. So anybody who wants to join that program, they are free. We have the largest footprint on the ground of 1,800 exclusive stores. So we make space available at our exclusive stores for creators to come and show their content, to learn it.”
So we do a lot of fan meets here. So we are completely collaborative and we want to run it like a community and our open space for everybody to come together and celebrate it.”He added.
Preparing for 2026: Advice for the New Age Creator
Looking ahead, Srivastava said that creators will only grow in importance. “The more AI driven shopping becomes, the more the need for creators will increase. There will be a symbiotic relationship between the two.”
For creators thinking of 2026, he advised consistency. “Create more and continue creating even if you feel stuck. Look at Amazon as a force multiplier.”
Babbar offered a simple rule. “Adapt, adapt, adapt. Content formats are changing every night. Customise for the consumer. And if you find it difficult, use Galaxy Nest.”
