Facebook is expanding its e-commerce capabilities by making it possible for businesses to sell products directly on their Facebook and Instagram page.
“As many businesses are creating and strengthening their digital presence, we’re building new tools to help make online shopping seamless. That’s why we’re launching Facebook Shops…“
Facebook Shops
Facebook Shops is free to use and is designed as a mobile-first shopping experience. That goes for both creating a shop and buying items from one.
When setting up a Facebook Shop, businesses can choose which items to feature and highlight collections of products in individual sections.
Brands can customize their shops to a certain extent, so it will feel more authentic and less like shopping on Facebook Marketplace.
Facebook Shops are discoverable through a business’ Facebook page or Instagram profile. They can also be discovered through stories or ads.
If a customer has questions during the buying process, they can communicate with the business through WhatsApp, Messenger, or Instagram Direct.
Transactions can be completed directly on Facebook, or on the business’ own website if they prefer.
Facebook Shops is starting to roll out now and will be more widely available in the coming months.
Facebook is also working on bringing more shopping features to its other apps, such as Instagram Shop, live shopping features, and loyalty programs
Instagram Shop
Similar to Facebook Shops, Instagram Shop is a new way for people to discover and buy products without leaving the app.
Instagram shops will be discoverable through the Explore section where users can browse through products from their favorite brands, filter by categories, and make purchases all in one place.
Instagram Shop is rolling out this summer starting in the US.
Later this year, Instagram will be adding a dedicated ‘Shop’ tab in the navigation bar which will make it even easier to find businesses’ online stores.
Live Shopping
Facebook is working on ways for products to be sold in real-time through Facebook Live.
“People have been using live video on our apps to showcase products for years… Now, we’re making it easier to shop for products in real time.”
Before going live, pages can tag products from their Facebook Shop which will be shown at the bottom of the video throughout the broadcast.
People tuning into the live stream can tap on the products to learn more about them and make a purchase.
Live shopping is currently in the testing stages with businesses on Facebook and Instagram. It will be rolled out more broadly in the coming months.
Loyalty Programs
Facebook is making it possible to earn rewards from businesses they frequently shop from by connecting loyalty programs to their Facebook account.
Users will be able to earn and keep track of points and rewards. Businesses can connect an existing loyalty program to their Facebook shop or create one from scratch.
Loyalty programs in Facebook Shops are currently in the testing stages and not yet widely available.
E-commerce Partners
Facebook is working with a number of partners to assist small businesses, helping them build and grow their shops on Facebook and Instagram.
Facebook’s e-commerce partners include:
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
- WooCommerce
- Channel Advisor
- CedCommerce
- Cafe24
- Tienda Nube
- Feedonomics
Source: Facebook Newsroom
Some official Facebook Shops launch videos can be seen below:
