Why the Latest ‘Checkout on Instagram’ Feature is Big News

Stephen McCance April 29, 2019

Instagram recently released a new feature whereby users can now shop directly through the site. To us, this is pretty big news. Essentially, it means that it’ll be even easier for e-commerce businesses to generate a profit through their Instagram adverts. So, who will actually it? And how does it all work? We delve a little deeper into the latest feature from Instagram.

How Does the Checkout on Instagram Feature Work?

We’re all used to seeing adverts on Instagram. It’s reported that 200 million Instagram users visit at least one business profile daily. Whether it’s from the brand themselves or through an influencer partner using ‘#ad’ or ‘#spon’, they’re pretty much slipped into the users feed for every few scrolls. However, this latest feature is different.

Previously, there was no way for brands to direct users to their site via a post. Instead, they simply had to divert them to the website link in their bio. Then, there was the move to being able to include the website in their post. Either way, to encourage users to make the journey, brands usually offer some kind of discount with a promotional code.

 

With checkout on Instagram, there’s no need to entice customers to visit the website. You can send them straight to checkout when they see a product they love! It works like this:

  • Users see an item they like either through a post or on stories.
  • They will see the option to ‘checkout on Instagram’ when they tap the photo for more details.
  • They’ll need to fill out their shipping and payment information. Now they can place an order through the app.
  • After the order has been placed, they can track its progress on Instagram. Users will also be able to cancel and return orders through the app too.

It’s important to note that merchants will only receive the user shipping information and contact details, not their payment information.

 

Who Will Use It?

Instagram users love to discover new content, hence why the explore page and now IGTV have proven to be popular elements of the app. Retailers want to make the most of this by building valuable relationships with customers at every point they can.

Moreover, it could be argued that this checkout on Instagram feature is well overdue now that the platform is so overtly tailored to advertising. Now that it’s here, it’s hoped that users who previously engaged with adverts but didn’t convert to a sale may not be encouraged to do so with the process being made so easy. Instagram has also confirmed that when users interact with checkout, it will be used as a way to rank the content they see.

 

User on Instagram app
 

Multiple Ways to Pay

There are very few drawbacks of this feature that’s set to revolutionise the way e-commerce businesses operate on Instagram. However, it has been noted by a number of users that adverts are not adapted to show their own currency. This is evidently something that Instagram will need to work on in order to improve user experience. On the other hand, users are benefiting from the number of ways to pay, which are with PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express.

Furthermore, Instagram have announced their plans to let retailers integrate their BigCommerce, Shopify, ChannelAdvisor and CommerceHub tools with the checkout on Instagram feature.

 

Endless Benefits for E-Commerce Businesses

It seems as though there are endless benefits for e-commerce businesses with checkout on Instagram. It’s already a win/win for both users and retailers alike. On launch day, the app had several huge brands on board, with the likes of Adidas, Huda Beauty, H&M, Prada, Zara and Nike all incorporating the feature. All that’s left is for the brands to create engaging, dynamic ads that gently nudge users into making a purchase!

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