Meesho introduces Vaani, a Gen-AI voice agent aimed for consumers in tier II and III municipalities.
Meesho Launches ‘Vaani’ AI Voice Assistant to Target Tier
II and III Shoppers
Indian e-commerce platform Meesho has introduced a
generative AI-powered voice shopping assistant called “Vaani,” aimed at
improving online shopping access for users in smaller cities and towns.
The feature, which has been under pilot testing for the past
month, has already seen strong early traction. According to the company, more
than 1.5 million users have interacted with the assistant so far, with those
users showing a 22% higher purchase conversion rate along with fewer returns
and cancellations.
Voice-Led Shopping Experience
Vaani enables users to browse, compare, and buy products
using natural voice conversations, mimicking the experience of offline shopping
where customers typically ask questions before making a decision.
The tool is designed to reduce friction for users who may
find text-based search, filters, and app navigation challenging—particularly in
non-metro markets.
Currently, the assistant supports Hindi and English, with
plans to roll out additional regional languages in the near future.
Built on Advanced AI Architecture
According to Sanjeev Kumar, the launch is part of the
company’s broader push toward an AI-driven marketplace.
He noted that Vaani combines conversational AI with Meesho’s
internal commerce intelligence systems to guide users throughout the buying
journey—from product discovery to final purchase.
The system is powered by a multi-agent AI framework and
leverages edge computing to process voice inputs efficiently, reducing latency
and operational costs. It has also been trained to understand regional language
nuances and supports multimodal interactions, enabling it to interpret both
spoken queries and on-screen activity.
Growth Push Amid Rising Costs
The launch comes at a time when Meesho is focusing on
expanding its user base while managing increasing operational expenses.
In its most recent quarterly results, the company reported a
sharp rise in losses, with net loss surging to ₹491 crore. However, operating
revenue also grew significantly, rising 31% to ₹3,517 crore.
The increase in losses was largely attributed to continued
investments in its logistics arm Valmo and higher spending on customer
acquisition.
Focus on Non-Metro Expansion
E-commerce companies across India are increasingly adopting
AI-driven interfaces to tap into demand from tier II and III markets, where
language barriers and digital literacy can limit adoption.
Meesho has been prioritizing scale in these regions. The
company reported a 34% increase in annual transacting users, reaching 251
million, while its net merchandise value (NMV) grew 26% to ₹10,995 crore.
