Facebook is to announce A number of new ecommerce features in both the main Facebook app and Instagram.
The pandemic has forced many businesses to switch online, and Facebook made a big announcement in May about the ability for merchants to create Facebook stores that are visible on both Facebook and Instagram. More recently Instagram launched a redesigned shop section where users can browse products from their favorite brands and creators.
Now the company is bringing a similar experience to the main Facebook app. The company announced that it was testing a new area called the Facebook Shop in the United States. Like Instagram Shop, it’s basically a shopping destination where you can find products from different companies. (This is different from the Facebook marketplace, which is designed for peer-to-peer sales.)
George Lee, Director of Product Management, told me the goal is to create something that is “unique to the Facebook app and community”.
Credit: Facebook
“That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any generalized findings,” he said. “[Instagram Shop and Facebook Shop] They’ll likely look a little different on day one, and the goal isn’t for them to be cookie cutters of the same experience. “
The company is also announcing new tools for businesses running Facebook stores, including new design layouts, the ability to preview collections in real time, the ability to automatically create stores when you’re a new seller, and new dates in Commerce Manager. Stores also offer a new messaging option that allows customers to send sellers a message via Messenger, WhatsApp, or Instagram Direct.
On the Instagram page, the company announced that all sellers in the US will be able to use the Instagram checkout function “in the coming weeks”, which will be managed either via Facebook’s Commerce Manager or via the partner platforms BigCommerce and Shopify (more Integrations are planned). Instagram will waive its checkout sales fee for the rest of the year.
The company also tested a live shopping experience, where companies can showcase products in a live video while consumers can browse the highlighted products and make purchases. Instagram Live Shopping should now be available to all sellers using Instagram Live Shopping in the United States.
Credit: Facebook
“We have seen live shopping in other parts of the world,” said Vishal Shah, vice president of product for Instagram. “The pandemic has really changed behavior from a consumer perspective. So we are in the process of bringing these tools out asap to help [businesses respond]. ”