Facebook just announced the addition of Shops to its social network platforms Facebook and Instagram. Facebook launches Facebook Shops to let businesses sell online. This is the Silicon Valley-based social networking company’s biggest move to e-commerce yet. Shops make a way for businesses to establish storefronts for free on the platforms along with other e-commerce functionality. This decision from Facebook takes it into competition with other more established e-commerce and online shopping giants like Amazon and eBay. The shops will be powered by 3rd party services such as Shopify and BigCommerce.
Facebook launches Shops to let businesses sell online
Dan Levy, Facebook’s vice president of ads and business, in an interview, said that the company had been working tirelessly to make Shops up and running to help the business suffering from the current state because of the pandemic. The CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg himself said in a live stream that this expansion into e-commerce would be essential in rebuilding the economy whilst the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
He said, “If you can’t physically open your store or restaurant, you can still take orders online and ship them to people”. He added, “We knew this was the future of where we were going, supporting online eCommerce, now it’s just happening a lot faster”. Shops would also help small businesses who have never set their foot on the online business platform to get started for the first time. For some of these small businesses, this might be the only difference between staying afloat or going under.
Facebook shops for big and small business
Facebook Shops enable the businesses, both big and small, to create online storefronts on the social networks, on which they can put up the list of items or products they offer that will either take them to the link where they can order the product or purchase them straight from Facebook and Instagram.
Shops on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger & WhatsApp
Shops are on both Facebook and Instagram, but they announced there are plans to include it in messaging apps Messenger and WhatsApp. Instagram will have a dedicated spot where the users can search and find the products they want to buy. Customer support services can be handled through Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Also, there will be a separate button for Instagram Shop on the app’s navigation bar later this year.
Facebook Shops Feature Loyalty programs, Tag products, Rewards & Points
The brands and content creators who use Facebook and Instagram’s streaming tools can tag products in the videos to let them include their sponsors. There is also a plan to let users link loyalty programs they have with the businesses to their Facebook Profile. This will let them easily see and keep track of rewards and points.
Facebook Shops is a Free Service
Shops are free to create and can be found on businesses Facebook pages and Instagram profiles, but these shops will increase the opportunities for Facebook to get more from advertising. Businesses will be allowed to buy ads for their Shops and they will get a percentage of the amount in return whenever the users use the checkout option.
Shops have begun rolling out in the United States and will come to Instagram in summer. Other additional features that Facebook plans to add will be available shortly after.
Instagram will have a dedicated spot where the users can search and find the products they want to buy. Customer support services can be handled through Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp.