Across the globe, consumers are embracing the freedom to shop from international brands, and this shift is reshaping the online commerce and retail landscape. To explore this trend, we are releasing a playbook, ‘Grow Your Exports: A Guide to Cross-Border Business Growth’, to provide businesses and advertisers with valuable insights into the evolving habits of cross-border shoppers. The playbook dives into how brands can leverage digital tools, and our platforms, to expand their reach beyond borders.
Shoppers are no longer just seeking familiar brands, they are actively exploring new ones. As per a study commissioned by us to Kantar titled, ‘Consumer Shopping Study’, nearly half of surveyed 14,591 shoppers between the ages of 18 to 64 years across 12 markets had made a cross-border purchase in the last six months. 71% of cross-border shoppers said that they were open to trying new brands that they discovered online. In fact, 72% of shoppers say they would try a new brand if enticed by the right promotion or offer.
In a study we commissioned with Kantar titled, ‘Consumer Shopping Study’, nearly half of the 14,591 surveyed shoppers had made a cross-border purchase in the last six months. Among them, 71% of cross-border shoppers said that they were open to trying new brands that they discovered online. In fact, 72% of shoppers said they would try a new brand if enticed by the right promotion or offer.
Shoppers expect experiences that empower them with information, personalization, and entertaining content. For brands, this presents a big opportunity, but also a new set of imperatives. Today’s cross-border shoppers expect a wide selection (61%), personalized experiences (62%), and seamless journeys from discovery to purchase. They are also making more unplanned purchases as shopping becomes more convenient and immersive, with 57% reporting an increase in spontaneous buys. Social validation and connection are key, with many relying on recommendations from friends, family, and influencers.
“At Meta, we believe that cross-border business is a powerful driver of economic growth and opportunity. Our platforms are designed to help businesses of all sizes reach new customers and markets around the world, and grow their presence on the global stage. Our platforms and tools, such as AI, Business Messaging, and Reels, are empowering Indian businesses to seamlessly connect with customers across the globe. By leveraging our solutions, businesses can target the right audience, build trust through personalized customer solutions, and showcase their products in a visually engaging way.” – Gaurav Jeet Singh, Director, Agency and VC Partnerships for Meta in India
How can brands leverage digital tools to capture this opportunity?
First, discovery is everything. 40% of shoppers said they follow creators specifically to discover new brands and products from abroad, and more than a third say personalized ads on our platforms have led to new shopping experiences.
“Meta is the platform of choice for discovering brands and driving performance. With over $200M in ad spends from India to global markets for Blink Digital, we’ve seen firsthand how borderless ambition meets measurable performance. This playbook captures those hard-won insights—some already powering case studies across industries—and invites more brands to test, learn, and scale beyond boundaries.” – Rikki Agarwal, Co-Founder, Blink Digital
Personalization is rapidly becoming an expectation. Our survey shows that 62% of cross-border shoppers want shopping experiences tailored to their preferences, and 61% want relevant product recommendations. Our AI-powered solutions like Advantage+ sales campaigns enable brands to deliver highly relevant content at scale, optimizing creative assets and targeting the right audiences for maximum impact.
“Bid multipliers are a great tool for testing new demographics and prioritizing spend towards more profitable audiences. We’ve seen a significant impact on our business by shifting budgets away from low-performing segments and maximizing returns from high-value ones.” – Andrew Squillace, Chief Marketing Officer, Muddy Mat
“Our collaboration with Meta has delivered strong results. Bid multipliers helped us explore new demographics while optimizing budget allocation toward high-performing segments, leading to improved ROI and reduced spend inefficiencies.” – Shahroz Alam, Head of Digital, Mirraw
Trust and validation are also essential in international shopping. Shoppers look to their communities for recommendations: 40% are influenced by suggestions from their social network, and 31% discover new brands through influencers. By collaborating with creators and encouraging authentic reviews, brands can build credibility and foster lasting relationships with customers across borders.
“Meta has consistently gone beyond being just a platform — they’ve been a true enabler of global success for businesses. Their latest playbook is a goldmine of insights, offering a clear path for brands ready to scale internationally. At Social Beat, we’re excited to bring this to life for our clients and accelerate their journey into global markets.” – Suneil Chawla, Co-founder, Social Beat
Convenience and seamless experiences are critical to converting interest into sales. Shoppers expect frictionless journeys, from discovery to checkout, and are increasingly using new technologies like AR to explore products in immersive ways (41%).
Entertainment and immersive content are also powerful drivers. Consumers are drawn to engaging videos, live shopping, and interactive features, making product discovery more fun and memorable, and further driving consideration and loyalty.
As cross-border commerce accelerates and grows in value, brands that embrace digital transformation and harness the full potential of Meta’s platforms will be best positioned to grow without limits. The future of shopping is global, social, and powered by AI.
Download the Playbook here.
