A new feature is being testing which will let you buy stuff in Instagram.
20 US-based retail brands — including Warby Parker, J.Crew, and Levi’s — will be trialing the feature in the US, which overlays a “Tap here to view products” call-to-action button on their photos.
Users tapping on the button will see the names of the products in the image and their prices. Users can also click-through to see a more detailed product description and, if they are interested, they can click “shop now” to be directed to the retailer’s website.
Jim Squires, Instagram’s director of market operations, told Business Insider the new feature was launched to reflect the way people are already using the app.
He said:
Internal research showed 50% of Instagram users follow a business on the app, while 60% say they have discovered new products and services on Instagram.
Instagram accepts that people aren’t necessarily visiting the app in a shopping mindset, but that they are using it for inspiration. And at the moment, when users are inspired, they are having to jump out of the app to search for the product on the retailer’s website. Instagram wants to make that process more seamless.
It makes Instagram better for people because when you get inspired, it’s not a satisfying experience if you can’t take action and learn and explore further. It brings more depth and experience to what they are doing on the platform.
The 20 test retailers won’t need to pay to use the shopping feature, but Instagram is exploring adding an advertising element to it — most likely letting retailers push their product photos to users who are not following their accounts.
It plans on expanding to other geographical areas soon and has no plans to take an affiliate fee from the products sold through its app.
H/T Business Insider