Instagram Introduces New Shopping Tab
Good news to all shopaholics out there, Instagram now offers its new shopping feature. Shopping has been an increasingly popular necessity these days, given the mall lockdowns brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. And if you are the type of person who takes shopping seriously, you should try the Instagram shopping tab. It’s the most recent feature of Instagram for a more convenient shopping experience.
If you are not yet aware of the Instagram shopping tab, you miss out on a lot.
Last 2018, Instagram introduces the shopping tab through the Explore page. Apart from your personalized interests, such as fashion, food, or travel, you may now find a customized section for your shopping needs. It shows you a collection of items you might want to purchase without the hassle of visiting an online shopping website.
Introducing the Shopping Tab
Way back March 2017, Instagram made it easier to shop posts on your feed. They provided a more immersive shopping feature that is less transactional. Shoppable items are organic posts, where you select the “View Products” button, and it will reveal the item name and price, as easy as that.
If you are following a brand like Nike, browsing through their page will show you the products they sell. By clicking on their content, you will notice an Instagram shopping tag that reveals everything about the product name, including its price.
Before, if you want to buy a product, you need to visit the product’s website. But with Instagram’s newest update last March 2019, they made it easier to shop for your favorite item through the Explore page. By clicking the Explore tab, you’ll find all the shoppable posts from the business accounts you follow. In just one tap, you’ll see an entire selection of products on sale.
Personalized Shopping for Instagram Users
The Instagram shopping tab saves you from all the inconveniences brought by online shopping. Unlike other shopping websites like Amazon or eBay, you have to go through an entire variety of categories when you get to their home page. But with Instagram’s shopping tab, they will bring you a more personalized selection based on your browsing behavior.
The shopping tab contains all the shoppable items that Instagram thinks you will like. It’s like having an online personal shopper who knows all your shopping needs and preferences.
Instagram Shopping Guide
To get you started, tap the little magnifying glass icon to head over to the Explore section. The Explore tab has a variety of categories at the top of the screen, including the Shop tab. The Shop tab will then lead you to an entire page filled with brands and items based on your interests. Click on any post, tap on the mini shopping bag icon on the lower left, and find the following details about the product:
- An image of the item on sale
- A description of the item
- How much the item costs
- A checkout button where you can purchase the product
Once you tapped on the item of your choice, you can now buy it within the platform. Instead of going through a chunky mobile web-flow, you can now check out directly via Instagram. Essentially, the Instagram shopping feature brings you to its vision as the ideal shopping website you’ll need.
If you are a business owner who runs an online shop, click here for a complete guide on the Instagram shopping tab.
Advantages of the Shopping Tab Feature
Both shoppers and business owners will benefit from this newest feature. For shoppers, Instagram will save you from impulse buying. You don’t have to worry about the items that you don’t need because Instagram will bring your favorite products based on your specific interests. You also won’t have to waste your time going through the annoying checking out process.
For business owners, instead of directing your customers to your website, the Instagram shopping tab will allow them to purchase your products easily from the app. Take note that there are more than 500 million Instagram users who use the app daily. Taking advantage of this will provide you a higher chance of getting more potential customers.
Drawbacks of the Shopping Feature
Although the Instagram shopping tab offers a dedicated shopping feature, the checkout feature is not available in every country. According to Instagram’s website, checkout is only available to U.S. customers with a selected number of top brands.
If you are not living around the U.S., tapping the Instagram shopping link will open the store’s mobile site within the platform, which will lead you to another burdensome checkout process. But it wouldn’t be much of a problem since it saves you through the process of finding the item on a shopping website. Instagram also offers a shopping ad where it directly leads you to the shopping page.
Another disadvantage is that some posts can be a little confusing. Shop owners attract their buyers by using a photo that is not on sale. For example, they will upload a picture of a cat, but tapping on the shopping bag icon will bring you to a variety of cat souvenir items, such as shirts and coffee mugs that you don’t intend to purchase. However, what’s good about this feature is that it will offer you exciting items if you are a cat lover.
Going Shopping? Try Instagram Shopping Tab
Currently, Instagram counts a whopping one billion users every month. This platform takes shopping to another level by taking note of which brands the users are more likely to follow based on the category they are interested in, including targeted Instagram shopping ads they like to see.
For business owners, it’s like opening a physical store where Instagram takes you to the front door of your potential customers.
Overall, the Instagram shopping tab takes you one step closer to becoming your go-to shopping mall. Besides keeping in touch with your family and friends, you can also discover the brands and products you might love.
It’s convenient and more personalized, based on the products you prefer. It also leads you to brands you have not yet discovered, plus you can purchase them all in one place. Take shopping to the next level with Instagram.
