In an era where geographic boundaries are increasingly blurred, a new study commissioned by Meta and conducted by Kantar reveals a surge in cross-border shopping, driven by a blend of consumer curiosity, digital discovery, and personalized experiences. Nearly half of the 14,591 consumers surveyed across multiple markets reported making at least one cross-border purchase in the last six months.
The findings, released alongside Meta’s new playbook titled “Grow Your Exports: A Guide to Cross-Border Business Growth”, signal a significant opportunity for brands and advertisers to expand their reach internationally. With 71% of global consumers open to trying new brands they discover online—and 72% likely to do so when offered the right promotion—digital platforms are emerging as the new frontier for global commerce.
“At Meta, we believe that cross-border business is a powerful driver of economic growth and opportunity,” said Gaurav Jeet Singh, Director, Agency and VC Partnerships for Meta India. “Our platforms and tools—like AI, Business Messaging, and Reels—are helping Indian businesses seamlessly connect with customers across the globe.”
The New Rules of Global Engagement
Today’s cross-border shoppers are not just browsing—they’re demanding more. According to the study:
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61% expect a wide selection of products,
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62% want personalized experiences,
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57% report an increase in unplanned, spontaneous purchases driven by convenience and immersive experiences.
Consumers are also turning to their communities and online creators for validation. About 40% say recommendations from friends and family influence their international shopping decisions, while 31% discover new brands through influencers.
“Meta is the platform of choice for discovering brands and driving performance,” said Rikki Agarwal, Co-Founder of Blink Digital. “This playbook captures hard-won insights from $200M in ad spends from India to global markets—inviting more brands to test, learn, and scale beyond boundaries.”
Personalization and Performance at Scale
As shopper expectations shift, personalization is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. With 62% of consumers expecting tailored experiences and 61% seeking relevant product recommendations, Meta’s AI-powered tools like Advantage+ sales campaigns are helping brands optimize content and target the right audiences at scale.
“Bid multipliers are a great tool for testing new demographics and prioritizing spend towards more profitable audiences,” said Andrew Squillace, CMO of Muddy Mat. “We’ve seen a significant impact on our business by shifting budgets away from low-performing segments.”
Shahroz Alam, Head of Digital at Mirraw, echoed this sentiment: “Our collaboration with Meta has delivered strong results. Bid multipliers helped us explore new demographics while optimizing budget allocation toward high-performing segments.”
Building Trust and Delivering Seamless Journeys
Trust remains critical in the cross-border shopping experience. Authenticity, creator collaborations, and social proof are vital tools in helping brands build credibility with new international audiences.
“Meta has consistently gone beyond being just a platform—they’ve been a true enabler of global success for businesses,” said Suneil Chawla, Co-Founder of Social Beat. “Their latest playbook is a goldmine of insights and a clear roadmap for brands eyeing global expansion.”
Convenience also plays a key role. Shoppers expect seamless, frictionless experiences from product discovery to checkout. Immersive technologies such as AR are gaining traction, with 41% of shoppers using them to explore products in more engaging ways.
The Future Is Global, Social, and AI-Powered
With digital tools reshaping the commerce landscape, Meta’s new playbook encourages brands to lean into innovation, storytelling, and performance marketing to unlock new markets.
From personalized recommendations and influencer marketing to AI-driven targeting and immersive shopping formats, the ingredients for global success are increasingly digital.
As Meta concludes in its report, “The future of shopping is global, social, and powered by AI.” For businesses ready to grow beyond borders, the time to act is now.
