Instagram’s New “Shopping” Feature

Is Instagram turning into the next Ebay? The popular social media platform has recently taken on a new way of advertising: Shopping on the app. As of last month, Instagram has added a feature that allows users to shop directly on the app. The company launched a new page titled “Shop,” where the team at Instagram introduces members of the community to up and coming brands that support good causes. This came shortly after the “checkout” feature was created for users to experience a one-click checkout to purchase things they wanted to buy, directly on the app.

This new feature makes finding what you want, when shopping for clothes, easily accessible. Marketing for different companies has also become more advanced due to the ability that influencers have to be able to help their followers purchase items directly from posts. It is already tailored to consumers’ needs based on which accounts they follow. So, for brands, it is the equivalent to opening a store in front of their clientele that already follows their company and wants to shop with them.

The ability to shop on the platform has opened the door for many marketing agencies to be able to reach their client’s target audience. A profile’s followers already accumulate the buyers for a brand. That being said, marketing agencies can shape the way products are advertised in order to resonate with the clientele. Different brands have partnered up with the social media platform and have already benefitted from the one-click shopping atmosphere. If you are a company looking to sell a product on the app this could be an easy way to do so. However, if you are a consumer, it could be a little dangerous due to the tailored content you can buy that will be streamlined to your profile directly.