Instagram is a social media platform released on October 6, 2010. In the past 14 years, Instagram has gained an exceptionally large audience using it, and still, day by day hundreds of people are signing up as new users. With every update the app gets, many new features are available for use and one of them is the Instagram shopping feature. This feature was announced on May 19, 2019, and since its launch, Instagram users really liked this feature, and it has been used a lot. So, what do you know about this feature?
In this article, we will dive into the details and everything you need to know about shopping on Instagram. Let’s start!
What Is Shopping on Instagram?
Shopping is something most of us really like to do and when it becomes possible to do it online, the frequency of this activity has also increased considerably. Thus, Instagram made a clever move in 2019 and let the app users shop in the app but unfortunately, it was removed from the app on August 10, 2023. It was even removed from Facebook, which is another app by Meta. But still, the Instagram shopping feature was a good feature. So, what did it offer to the users?
This feature of Instagram was mostly useful for users with business type of profiles. If you got a business account on Instagram, you can use so many different features to expand the business you own. Also, the other type of profile owners can shop online without leaving Instagram. Which lets them use and like the app more. This was proven by a survey and nearly half of the survey participants mentioned that they were using Instagram for shopping every week.
As we mentioned below, this feature was removed from the app. There was an icon like a shopping bag and when you click on that, you can start shopping. But after the removal announcement, that icon was replaced by an icon that lets you just view reels so that you can explore new pages. One of the reasons behind this change is that Instagram decided to simplify the app for the users and make it more in the notion of sharing some things and connecting with people.
Now there is one way left to shop on Instagram. Brands generally share posts or stories of their products and tag those products. With this tagging feature, you can easily see the details of the tagged products, go to the website, and buy them. Whether you have a business where you want to sell your products, or if you would like to shop on Instagram, now this is the only way to do it.
Details of Instagram Shopping Feature
What we have mentioned until now are the general things you need to know about Instagram Shopping Feature. But actually, it offers much more than we have mentioned, especially for the brand owners. Let us take a closer look at the details for business profiles:
Creating a digital showcase
When we shop physically, what we generally look at are the showcases of shopping centers because they let us know what is on the inside and we can have general info about the types of products. This feature of Instagram has the same thing. If you are a brand owner, with the help of this feature, you can create a digital showcase. So that the users can see what you are selling on Instagram all together. By this, when they like one of the products, they can easily swipe and look for some other products that they can like too. Long story short, you can make more sales with the Instagram shopping feature.
Let users know about the details
Today, so many brands allow people to shop online, and it is even better for people because by using the brands’ websites people can easily reach the details about any product. To give an example, when you like a sweater, by using the website you can easily see the sweater’s size, different colors, material, and many other details. Also, when you are shopping on Instagram you can see these kinds of details too. Because brand owners are allowed to put them where they are exhibiting their products. By this way, people began to be more likely to use this feature and it was very convenient for brands.
Safe payment methods
If you are a brand owner, one of the problems that you may encounter is that you need to show people that they can pay for your products safely. Because you know, sometimes it may be hard for people to trust any website on the internet. But when shopping on Instagram, it was easier for people to trust while on the payment section. Because if you are buying something on Instagram you complete your shopping on this platform. This lets people trust more while paying because their payment info is protected by a huge social media platform.
Organizing a digital launch
If you have a brand, one of the most important things for you is the launch of your brand-new products. It is something you can easily do when it is physical, but Instagram also allows you to easily organize a launch. To give an example, if you want to show your audience what you will start to sell that will fit the upcoming season, you could easily do that by using the shopping feature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Instagram make this feature available again?
Unfortunately, Instagram has not made such a statement recently, so no.
Do you need to pay something to use this feature?
No, this feature is cost-free. All the users can freely shop on Instagram and also if you are a brand owner, it would be free for you too.
Dilawar Mughal is an accomplished author with a passion for storytelling. His works span various genres, from thrilling mysteries to heartfelt romance novels. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for character development, Dilawar weaves engaging narratives that captivate readers and transport them to new worlds.