Quick commerce fires up record discounts
The rapid expansion of online retailers Amazon and Flipkart in the crowded quick commerce sector is pushing discounting across platforms to record highs in an industry battling accelerating losses.
As price becomes the primary differentiator for these apps with near similar user experience, intense discounting and attendant cash burn are likely to intensify further, according to multiple people in the know.
This month, average discounts across categories rose to 20–25% on maximum retail price compared to below 10% two years ago across various quick.
Google Search launches ‘Audio Overviews’ for hands-free, quick search
Google has introduced a new feature in its search engine called Audio Overviews, designed to offer users spoken summaries of search results. This feature builds on Google’s recent efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into its platform, which aims to offer an alternative way to access information.
Audio Overviews use AI technology from Google’s latest Gemini models to create brief, conversational audio summaries which last between 30 and 45 seconds. These summaries resemble a podcast-style explanation of the search topic. Alongside the audio, the interface displays relevant web pages, allowing users to explore the topic further or verify facts.
A simple mistake in the Meta AI app could expose your deepest secrets
In one of the clearest examples of how everyday users of technology sometimes don’t understand it – and the developers of that technology haven’t fixed it – the Meta AI app is allowing deeply personal, private, and altogether embarrassing content to be shared to its “Discover” tab. And those personal questions can spread to Facebook and Instagram.
This is precisely the worst place for questions like “Tips for asking an Asian girl about dating older men” and “Can my wife see [the questions I ask]?”
Let’s briefly back up: The Meta AI app launched in April. It uses Meta’s own large language model, Llama, which acts as a chatbot for users. In that way, it’s like ChatGPT or the Google Gemini app. You ask it a question, and it provides answers.
Ads Are Coming to WhatsApp Status
Meta has announced that it will start adding advertisements to status on WhatsApp. This announcement comes as part of a series of new features for the WhatsApp Updates tab, including subscriptions for WhatsApp channels and channel promotion. Meta says that the inclusion of advertisements in Status will enable people to find businesses and easily initiate a conversation with them about the products or services they are promoting.
The company explains that while users will begin seeing advertisements in WhatsApp status, users’ personal messages, calls, and statuses will stay end-to-end encrypted. This means that not even Meta can see the communication between two people.
Some context:
This service launch comes after the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) stayed the Competition Commission of India’s (CCI) directive prohibiting the Mark Zuckerberg-owned messaging app from sharing information with other Meta companies in January this year. In 2021, the company changed its privacy policy to allow cross-sharing of user data with other Meta entities.
Instagram Adds Real-Time Spotify Sharing Feature
Instagram, a Meta-owned platform, is rolling out a new feature ahead of World Music Day on June 21 that will allow users to share the music they’re currently listening to on Spotify directly through Notes. The new feature will display the live track being played on Spotify, including the song title and artist. It builds on Instagram’s ongoing collaboration with Spotify, which began last year with the introduction of the “Add to Spotify” button.
Now, users can give friends a live peek into their music choices, making it easier to connect over shared tastes or discover new tracks. Notably, Notes, the short text updates that appear above DMs, have supported music sharing on the platform since last year.
Reddit adds conversation summaries to ads
Reddit has introduced a set of new features aimed at enhancing how marketers understand and engage with its platform. The updates include AI-powered community insight tools under the umbrella of Reddit Community Intelligence, and a new ad format titled Conversation Summary Add-ons, both currently in limited testing.
The insights tool builds on Reddit Pro, launched last year, and turns Reddit’s archive of 22 billion posts and comments into structured data. It allows marketers to explore trends and public sentiment through four main query types:
- Explore Anything: Keyword-based search with filters for region and time.
- Compare Anything: Trend analysis using cross-matched related terms.
- Understand a Cultural Moment: Insights into major events and seasonal conversations.
- Map a Purchase Journey: Tracking how users refer to subreddit discussions during product research.
According to Reddit, “Reddit Community Intelligence™ is the collective knowledge from the billions of human conversations across Reddit,” offering unmatched access to grassroots perspectives.
CTV viewership soars, 23% Indians go digital-only
The Indian media ecosystem is undergoing a rapid transformation. Yet, marketers and advertisers continue to rely on outdated, fragmented data, limiting their ability to craft effective, future-ready media strategies. With no formal or comprehensive consumer data reports in over five years to capture the evolving media landscape and shifting audience behaviour, decision-making remains imprecise, limiting its real impact.
To bridge this critical gap, Kantar India announces the launch of Media Compass, a groundbreaking, one-of-a-kind report offering an unparalleled 360-degree view of Indian consumers media consumption across TV, print and digital platforms.
With a rolling annual sample of 87,000 consumers and quarterly reporting, Media Compass provides a comprehensive track of the media eco-system. It will deliver deep insights into media reach, cross-media interactions including platforms and personalities/ influencer and measures of engagement, equipping brands with the data-driven intelligence needed to craft high-impact, bespoke media strategies
84% Indian shoppers say they have already made a purchase via social media
Blue Dart Express Limited, South Asia’s express air and integrated transportation company under the DHL eCommerce umbrella, has unveiled its much-anticipated E-Commerce Trends Report 2025, spotlighting how Indian consumers are reshaping the future of digital retail. Drawing insights from a diverse sample of online shoppers across India, the report dives into six shopper personas, four generational cohorts, and eight key trend chapters.
From the growing influence of AI to the surge in social commerce and rising sustainability consciousness, the report paints a vivid picture of where Indian e-commerce is headed—and what businesses must do to stay relevant.
“In India, consumer expectations are undergoing a profound transformation. Speed, flexibility, and frictionless experiences are at the core of customer loyalty. Shoppers expect real-time updates, quick delivery, and hassle-free returns. Despite significant advancements in digital shopping, it’s the fundamentals of delivery and returns that continue to define the customer journey. Convenience, choice, and control are non-negotiable as many Indian consumers abandon their purchase if their preferred delivery option isn’t available. As we look ahead, businesses must embrace a future shaped by innovation, transparency, and purpose-led strategies where technology not only enables convenience but also champions sustainability, accessibility, and deeper consumer engagement.” said Balfour Manuel, Managing Director at Blue Dart.
Closing:
From the BC Web Wise desk take a look at how we drove ROI for Reliance Retail’s Tira Beauty business in partnership with Vibrant Media. Have a great week ahead!
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