Instagram announced the rollout of Instagram Shop – a place for users to shop from brands and creators within Explore.
After a recent test which saw a switch between the activity tab (heart) and the shop tab in its main navigation, Instagram is now moving ahead with the rollout of its Instagram Shop feature. The destination – available within Explore, will only be available in the US for the moment, but Instagram says that it will expand globally in the next few weeks.
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Instagram Shop, announced earlier this year, lets users “discover the latest trends, get personalized recommendations, and preview exclusive launches, all in one place,” so that they can then browse and, finally, buy the products they find there.
Instagram Shop will feature special curations from @shop – Instagram’s shopping channel – but will also introduce a range of collections and products from brands and creators, letting users shop from them.
Users in the US will be able to buy some products – those with special “checkout” arrows – directly on Instagram without leaving the app.
Later in the year, the new Shop tab will appear permanently within the navigation bar, so that users can get to Instagram Shop in one tap. For the moment, though, it will only be accessible through Explore.
All purchases made with checkout will be powered by Facebook Pay, which will roll out within the next few weeks in the US. The feature, announced last year, “will provide a seamless, secure way to shop and make donations to causes.” Instagram explains it’s safe, offering an extra layer of security allowing users to add a unique PIN or their device biometrics, i.e Touch, or Face ID to secure it.
The announcement also explains that Facebook will provide Purchase Protection on certain eligible products bought using checkout.
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Instagram will be charging a fee for all purchases made over its platform, so if shopping really takes off the company is set to significantly grow related profits.