Bad News For Your Budget—Instagram’s New Feature Makes Shopping Even Easier
Recently, Instagram unveiled its latest strategy for boosting e-commerce efforts and making online shopping more seamless than ever: Instagram Shop. The much-hyped destination is a page within the “Explore” tab that gives brands, business owners and entrepreneurs alike the power to create collections and tag products on Instagram, while users can buy directly within the app (which are identified with checkout arrows). Other standout features include personalized recommendations and curated content from the Instagram shopping channel, @shop.
So how exactly can you buy in-app? Instagram Shop will be supported by Facebook Pay (rolling out in the coming weeks). As explained by Instagram:
“Facebook Pay will provide a seamless, secure way to shop and make donations to causes you care about across our apps. It features an extra layer of security with the ability to add a unique PIN or device biometrics, such as Touch or Face ID.”
Here’s how it works. When you’re exploring the feed of your favorite influencer or brand and see a fresh drop or #OOTD that you want for yourself, the photo may include a small shopping bag in the upper right-hand corner. Tap the post and you will have the option to ‘view products,’ which pulls up a page with direct links to buy from.
This isn’t Instagram’s first foray into online shopping. This is what a shoppable feed looked like before the newest update:
And here’s what the new Instagram Shop looks like:
Another notable update within the Instagram Shop feature is its placement within the Instagram app. Eventually users will have access to a Shop tab at the bottom of their in-app screen as opposed to being a tab on the ‘Explore’ page. This location change makes the eCommerce portion of Instagram more prevalent, and the timing of the switch is no coincidence as the pandemic has greatly impacted our shopping habits.
As reported by Forbes, “COVID-19 has massively accelerated the growth of e-commerce.” An Adobe report released for June of 2020 suggests that total online spending in May hit $82.5 billion, which is up 77% year-over-year. Furthermore, according to the latest PYMNTS’ 2020 Remote Payments Study, 72% of consumers are using mobile devices to shop.
This change marks what is already a large shift in mobile purchases and eCommerce. Not only will shoppers have a more direct route to desired products, but sellers will have more real estate within Instagram and a new space to advertise. Happy shopping and selling!
About Jordan D’Addio
Jordan D’Addio is a Community Contributor for SHE Media. In May 2020, she graduated from Hamilton College with a degree in neuroscience and minors in government and creative writing. Jordan is currently seeking a full-time job opportunity, and in her free time, she enjoys running and playing board games with her family.
