E-commerce brands have been working hard for the past few years to grow their businesses into Tier 2 cities and beyond in India, also known as Bharat, and whose consumers are collectively known as the Next Billion consumers.

According to the 2020 Unicommerce study, Tier 2 cities and beyond accounted for 67% of all orders during the 2020 festive sales season. With adoption expanding so quickly, it’s no surprise that prominent e-commerce businesses are already hurrying to establish a presence in these markets. Unlike Tier 1 users, who are spoilt for choice, the Next Billion Users will stick with firms that can build confidence.

Top e-commerce giants are using Voice Commerce as the key pillar to target these Next Billion Users

Here are the top 6 e-commerce apps that have already started executing on their Voice Commerce strategy by adding In-app Voice Assistants.

1. Flipkart

• Rolled out to all the users
• Flipkart’s In-App Voice Assistant can understand local dialects, colloquial terms and mixed language commands.
• 16% of the voice users shopped for groceries using Voice Assistant in the Hindi language.
• Functionality is currently limited to searching for items. Addition, removal and modification are absent currently.
• Acquired liv.ai two years back to kickstart the development of their in-app voice assistant

2. Amazon

• Rolled out to all users
• In-app Voice Assistant – Activated by saying “Hey Alexa” or by clicking on the microphone icon next to the search bar
• Voice Search and Voice Navigation supported
• Alexa answered over 100k voice requests during the Great Indian Festival
• English only experience currently. No support for regional languages yet.

3. Udaan (Voice-enabled by Slang Labs)

• Still at an experiment stage (limited roll-out)
• Voice-enabled using Slang’s Voice Commerce Platform. 
• Enables their retailers to search, place orders and navigate using Voice
• Triggered using a floating microphone icon that is available on all screens
• Supports 2 languages – English and Hindi
• The In-App assistant is trained to understand all retail jargon.
• Assistant supports Voice Search, Voice Navigation and Voice Action.
• Started out with Pharmacy and later expanded the Voice Assistant to support the Grocery category too.

4. JioMart

• In-app voice assistant rolled out to all users
• Triggered by using the microphone icon next to the search bar
• Support for 2 Languages (English and Hindi)
• The assistant today is capable of simple user journeys. 
• Voice Search, Voice Actions (Voice to cart) and Voice Navigation is supported.
• Jio acquired another company to build the in-app voice assistant.

5. P&G B2B app for retailers (Voice-enabled by Slang Labs)

• Voice-enabled using Slang’s Voice Commerce Platform. 
• Still at experiment stage (limited roll-out)
• Enables their retailers to search and place orders by Voice
• Triggered using a floating microphone icon that is available on all screens
• Support for 2 languages (English and Hindi)
• Supports – Voice Search, Voice Action, Voice Navigation and Voice Promotions

6. BigBasket

• Voice-enabled using “Slang’s Voice Commerce Platform. 
• Still at experiment stage (limited roll-out)
• Triggered using a floating microphone icon that is available on all screens
• Slang Voice Assistant understands five languages: English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.
• The In-App assistant is trained to understand retail-related terms.
• Supports – Voice Search and Voice Navigation.
• Nearly 25% of searches were made from Non-Tier 1 cities.

Long integration times, costs, and domain expertise were all barriers to adding an in-app voice assistant for smaller brands, but now any e-commerce brand can enable voice commerce in their apps with Slang CONVA, the simplest and most accurate low-code Vernacular Voice Commerce platform, which allows brands to add a delightful multilingual voice experience inside their apps in a matter of days.

What is Voice Shopping?

Why type when you can speak? The rise of voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa provides an opportunity for ecommerce businesses. You may now ask your digital assistant to find and purchase an item without having to raise a finger.

Read Also: Voice Commerce and SEO: How to Optimize Your Content

Nearly half of all US shoppers cite ease of use as their top reason for using voice shopping technology. Despite the initial expenditures, online merchants are increasingly using voice shopping to promote sales and consumer engagement.

Voice shopping is the use of voice recognition technology to purchase products online. It’s a type of voice commerce where a customer uses verbal commands to interact with digital assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon’s Alexa. Voice shopping relies on smartphones or smart speakers, such as Amazon Echo or Google Home. These devices use voice recognition technology to interpret verbal requests and perform online shopping tasks.

From a customer’s perspective, voice shopping can be as easy as activating the voice assistant with a wake word, like “Hey Siri,” “Hey Alexa,” or “Hey Google,” then asking about specific products or categories. Voice shopping can enhance the immediacy and convenience  of shopping at home, especially for routine purchases and reorders where the customer doesn’t have to do research on a product before purchasing.

Many online retailers now have interfaces that allow for streamlined voice browsing, confirmation of the buyer’s identity, and checkout.

Assume you’re at home doing the dishes and realize you need to get some new gym shoes. Because your hands are damp, you may ask your Google Assistant, “Find me the best deal on running shoes.” The assistant can make recommendations or ask follow-up questions to help narrow down the search, such as brand preferences or specific characteristics.

When you select a pair of shoes, the assistant adds them to a virtual cart until you instruct it to complete your transaction. After confirming your payment method and delivery address (which can be set in your account settings), the voice assistant confirms your purchase and may provide further information such as estimated delivery time.

What are the Benefits and Challenges of Voice Shopping?

Benefits

Voice shopping provides several benefits for ecommerce brands and retailers, including:

• Speed

Speed is one of the biggest upsides of the voice shopping customer experience. A simple command to a voice assistant can bring up a list of relevant products, and within moments, the customer can finalize a purchase. Most voice assistants allow customers to store their credit card and shipping information in their accounts for a seamless checkout flow.

• Convenience

Many consumers already have the necessary technology to make voice shopping purchases in their pockets: Most smartphones have built-in voice recognition technology. This means voice assistant users can browse and buy items from home, work, or even during commutes. You can simplify the checkout experience for returning shoppers by using saved customer data.

• Brand awareness

With voice shopping, it’s possible to utilize voice search optimization. By using natural language and long-tail keywords (longer, more specific phrases) in your web and mobile platforms, you can boost your brand’s SEO rankings in common voice shopping queries, which can lead to greater brand visibility and increased sales. 

Challenges

Despite its advantages, voice shopping is a technology that can pose challenges for ecommerce retailers, including:

• Upfront costs

Voice shopping involves costs for retailers. An online store needs access to AI ecommerce technology that can handle natural language processing and a web platform that can facilitate streamlined, secure voice purchases.

• Security and privacy concerns

Potential customers might hesitate to adopt voice commerce due to concerns about making purchases verbally. It can take a level of trust for shoppers to share their financial information—and potentially, unique voice print—when interfacing with an online retailer.

One study found that 31% of US voice shoppers reported general privacy concerns regarding voice shopping, and 27% of online buyers expressed negativity over the security of their financial data. Keeping up with current privacy regulations and taking measures to secure personal data can help build customer trust.

• Technology limitations

For voice shopping to work optimally, the technology on both ends has to understand complex voice commands or ensure accurate product matches. Currently, language comprehension and voice-recognition technology isn’t perfect. Voice recognition software may misunderstand or be unable to decipher a command. If a consumer makes a request misunderstood by their digital assistant, they won’t get the information or product they want, which could lead to frustration and lack of future usage.

Voice shopping sales are increasing and are predicted to become more popular. In 2021, almost 60% of internet users used voice assistant technology on a daily or weekly basis, with a total global value of $4.6 billion. The entire value of voice-assisted purchases is expected to reach $164 billion by 2025.

Understanding Voice Commerce

In 2023, a new player appeared, promising to transform how consumers interact with brands and make purchases. Voice commerce, which is powered by AI and language technology, is increasingly becoming a popular way for busy people to shop on the go. As this trend expands, online businesses must change quickly to stay up with shifting buyer preferences.

As smart assistants like as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri become more interwoven into daily life, customers are enjoying the convenience and seamlessness of voice-based purchases. This move is more than just a passing fad; it is a complete transformation in how people purchase and go about their daily lives.

Voice commerce, or v-commerce, lets people shop by talking to virtual assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. It’s getting more common as smart speakers and other voice-enabled gadgets become more popular, making it easier for shoppers to use in their daily routines.

With voice shopping, shoppers can find products and make purchases with unmatched convenience. Whether they’re multitasking at home or on the go, voice-activated virtual assistants provide seamless access to a wide range of products and services. 

Here are some popular ways shoppers are using voice search to make ecommerce purchases:

• Quick product searches: Users can simply voice their questions to find specific products or brands.
• Voice-based product recommendations: Virtual assistants offer customized product suggestions based on past behaviors and preferences.
• Hands-free purchasing: With voice-activated shopping carts at their fingertips, consumers can complete transactions entirely through voice commands, eliminating the need for traditional manual checkout.
• Order tracking and status updates: Voice-enabled devices provide real-time updates on order statuses and delivery schedules, keeping shoppers informed every step of the way.
• Voice-activated reordering: Users can easily reorder frequently purchased items with a simple voice command, streamlining the process.
• Comparison shopping: Shoppers can request product comparisons and reviews from virtual assistants to make informed purchasing decisions.
• Voice-enabled promotions: Brands can use voice search to deliver targeted promotions and discounts, enticing shoppers to make spontaneous purchases.

Several variables have contributed to this rapid and consistent transformation. Smart speakers have improved, making voice commands more convenient and intuitive for users. Over the last year, advances in natural language processing (NLP) and artificial intelligence (AI) have improved the accuracy and responsiveness of virtual assistants, making voice-activated shopping more convenient and reliable. As a result, people are increasingly using voice commands to do tasks ranging from setting reminders to making purchases.

• Voice Commerce Statistics: In 2022, half of the American consumer population reported using voice search daily. In 2023, over 107 million smart speakers were shipped globally, showing the significant growth of this market segment. In 2024, this trend shows no sign of slowing.
• Voice Commerce for Amazon: Amazon’s Echo and Alexa are the most popular smart speakers in the U.S. According to Amazon, 25% of U.S. households have at least one Alexa device.
• Voice Commerce for Shopify: A rising number of Shopify sellers use voice assistants to recommend reorders for repeat buyers. These gentle nudges could potentially unlock lucrative new avenues for online merchants, especially as the realm of voice search continues to expand its influence.

For ecommerce retailers, the advent of voice commerce brings both benefits and challenges. On the one hand, speech commerce creates a new sales channel and gives sellers access to an increasing number of voice-enabled customers. Sellers can boost their exposure and reach a larger audience by optimizing their product listings for voice search and using speech-enabled advertising alternatives.

On the other hand, speech commerce presents additional challenges for sellers, such as adjusting to new conversational voice engagements. To keep customers engaged, retailers may need to rethink their marketing tactics and invest in voice-specific advertising campaigns.

Voice commerce is transforming the ecommerce sector, providing consumers with a more convenient and intuitive shopping experience. For ecommerce retailers, embracing voice commerce provides an opportunity to reach a larger audience and increase sales via a new channel. By optimizing product listings, experimenting with speech-enabled advertising, and focusing on customer experience, retailers may benefit on the emergence of voice commerce and stay ahead of the competition in the digital marketplace.