YouTube is set to acquire Video e-commerce platform Simsim

Google stated, “We are taking another step to help viewers discover and buy products from local businesses : we have signed a definite agreement to acquire SimSim and expect to complete the transaction in the coming weeks.”

On Tuesday, YouTube affirmed that it will acquire Indian video e-commerce platform Simsim, as an effort to support small businesses and retailers in India reach new customers.

In a blogpost Google stated, “We are taking another step to help viewers discover and buy products from local businesses : we have signed a definite agreement to acquire SimSim and expect to complete the transaction in the coming weeks.” However, the financial details were not disclosed by the company.

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The company clarified that there will be no immediate changes to Simsim and the app will continue to operate independently.

As per reports, YouTube is working on ways to put forward Simsim offers to the YouTube viewers. Simsim’s co-founders Amit Bagaria, Kunal Suri and Saurabh Vashishtha through a statement expressed that the platform was introduced to help users across India shop online with ease, enabled through small sellers and brands selling their products using the power of content by trusted influencers.

The Co-founders further added, “Being a part of YouTube and Google ecosystem further Simsim in its mission. We cannot think of a better ecosystem in which to build Simsim, in terms of technology reach, creator networks and culture.”

The blogpost asserted that as more and more shopping occurs online, video has an important role in helping viewers discover new products and thereby find expert advice they trust. “Simsim is helping small business in Indian transition to e -commerce by using the power of video and creators,” the blogpost added.

Simsim is an app that facilitates to build a bridges between the local businesses, influencers and customers. Through this app, creators post video reviews about certain products from local business following which the viewers can buy those products directly from the app. The videos in this app are enabled in three different languages namely Hindi, Tamil and Bengali.

The blogpost noted, “For over  15 years, small businesses have used YouTube to expand their presence online. Many of them use YouTube to reach customers outside of their social community.”

Further it added that by bringing Simsim and YouTube together, their aim is to support the small business and retailers in India to reach out to new customers in even more powerful ways.

Along with more than 2,500 YouTube creators with around one million subscribers and YouTube shorts which was launched in India first, Google assured that it is committed to bring the best of YouTube to the country and thereby expanding the YouTube community by making it even easier for the new generation of mobile first creators to get started.

Google mentioned that this announcement builds on an ongoing investment in India, like the Indian Digitization Fund that was declared in the previous year.

The blogpost added, “We are inspired by the opportunity in India and look forward to working with Simsim team to build the future of online video commerce in India.”