Image from Instagram
As mobile commerce sales continue to climb, retailers need to focus on making mobile purchases easier and more convenient. This year, 30% of online shoppers say they would like to make purchases directly on social platforms. That number is expected to increase as mobile experiences improve. As an e-commerce business, it's important to be accessible to your potential customers on whichever platform or device they use.
After seeing success with big brands such as Macys, Neiman Marcus, and Wayfair, Pinterest opened their “Shop the Look” feature last year to small businesses. This has allowed for a more seamless purchasing experience for Pinterest users. It also eliminated the barrier of needing to leave the app to purchase.
This year, Instagram announced Checkout on Instagram and has been rolling out the beta to large brands. This feature would allow for purchases to happen directly in the app. Given the size of the beta brands’ influence, it is expected that the checkout feature will soon be available to every e-commerce business.
How Checkout on Instagram Will Work
Once available, implementing the checkout feature will be simple for retailers. When creating an Instagram post, retailers can tag the product(s) featured (similar to the product tags available now). Buyers will be able to click on the post to view the product and select color, size, and shipping options. The first time an Instagram user makes a purchase, he/ she will need to enter personal and billing information which will be securely saved. This will make every purchase following nearly instant (think one-click buying).
Why It Matters for Your E-commerce Business
As a visual platform, Instagram is a favorite for discovering new products. 200 million Instagram users visit at least one business profile a day. 60% of users find new products on the platform. Instagram has and continues to be a powerful marketing tool, but the ability to checkout directly in the app will shift more potential buyers from the discovery phase to becoming customers for your business.
With the ability to check out on Instagram directly, your business will receive sales that might otherwise be lost. While it’s important to market your own e-commerce site, making your product available on more marketplaces will increase the number of customers and sales overall.
It’s important to jump on this feature as soon as it becomes available as users will begin to grow accustomed to the purchasing feature. If you are already posting on Instagram, implementing the checkout feature will be simple, and you do not want to be the last one to jump on board.
How to Prepare
Instagram is a visual platform that allows brands and retailers to build better relationships with buyers. Start focusing on your Instagram community and growing your follower base. When the checkout feature becomes available, having more followers means more users will see your products and be able to share them. Ensure your feed is aesthetically pleasing and that your images aren’t blurry or low-quality.
If you’re not already using product tags, it’s time to start. The Instagram checkout feature will be similar, so it’s important to get comfortable using Instagram and tagging products. Using product tags will also ensure that your account is in good shape and setup properly to allow for the checkout feature to be implemented (let alone you may even begin to see an increase in sales with product tags).
The announcement of Checkout on Instagram is exciting news for retailers. The new checkout feature should eliminate concerns over security and provide greater convenience. By establishing a strong Instagram presence on the platform now, you’ll have a greater, more loyal audience when the checkout feature becomes available to you.
The checkout feature will be incredibly valuable to organizations as it makes the purchasing experience seamless and convenient for buyers. A better purchasing experience with less obstacles means a greater likelihood of conversion and an overall positive impact on revenue.
Spend your time focusing on sales, not product tags. We can help with that.