56% of Online Sellers are Already Using AI Tools to Grow Their Business: Snapdeal Bharat Seller Report 2026
Bengaluru : India’s online seller ecosystem is becoming increasingly technology-driven, manufacturing-led, and deeply aligned with the country’s value-conscious consumers, according to the latest “Snapdeal Bharat Seller Report 2026.”
The report, based on a survey of sellers across Bharat who sell on Snapdeal, reveals that artificial intelligence is no longer confined to large enterprises or digital-first brands. Instead, AI adoption is steadily moving into the mainstream among Indian online sellers, with 56% of surveyed sellers already using AI-powered tools in some form to improve their business operations.
The report captures emerging trends shaping India’s digital commerce economy, including AI adoption, online business dependence, marketplace diversification, consumer behaviour, and seller profitability pressures.
“India’s online seller ecosystem is evolving rapidly. Sellers today are far more digitally mature, operationally agile, and increasingly technology-enabled. What is particularly interesting is that AI adoption is now becoming visible even among MSMEs and traditional sellers. At the same time, the continued growth of Bharat markets on the back of rising internet penetration and growing comfort in online transactions among consumers continue to define the next phase of Indian e-commerce,” said Achint Setia, CEO, Snapdeal.
The report highlights that among sellers already using AI, the most common use case was product listings and content creation, cited by 43% of respondents. Sellers are increasingly leveraging AI tools to generate product descriptions, improve cataloguing efficiency, optimise listings, and enhance discoverability on marketplaces.
Online commerce is now central to seller businesses
The report also highlights how deeply online commerce is now embedded within seller business models across India.
Nearly 46% of respondents said more than three-fourths of their overall business sales now come from online channels, underlining the extent to which digital commerce has become a primary route to market for a large segment of sellers.
Importantly, India’s online seller ecosystem continues to remain strongly manufacturing-led. About 66% of surveyed sellers identified themselves as manufacturers selling directly online, showcasing how marketplaces are increasingly enabling small manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs to access customers across the country without relying heavily on traditional distribution networks.
Bharat markets continue to emerge as the key growth engine
The report reinforces a trend that has steadily gathered momentum over the past few years: India’s smaller cities and towns are becoming the biggest growth drivers for digital commerce.
About 51% of sellers said customers from Tier-2, Tier-3, and smaller markets are growing faster for their business compared to metro and Tier-1 consumers.
The findings reflect the widening reach of e-commerce across Bharat, aided by affordable smartphones, improving logistics infrastructure, greater internet penetration, digital payment adoption, and rising comfort with online shopping among consumers in non-metro markets.
Value continues to dominate Indian online shopping behaviour
The report findings also underline the enduring strength of value commerce in India.
While, nearly 49% of sellers said consumers primarily prioritise the best prices and discounts while shopping online, product quality ranked second at 38%, indicating that quality remains a key consideration even for value-conscious consumers.
This trend is also reflected in seller price points. About 66% of respondents operate in categories where the average order value is below ₹500, highlighting the scale and importance of India’s value-conscious consumption economy.
