Is it weird we get excited when we see a new app update on our phone? #sorrynotsorry The newest shopable feature added to Instagram is DEFINITELY something we are optimistic about. Mobile has changed the way the world works, from Waze navigating us through the worse LA traffic to premium Spotify given us access to all the latest tunes, it only makes sense mobile would make shopping as easy as 1, 2, purchased!
Since November 2016, Instagram has been testing out a new shopping feature, Instagram Shopping, that puts the access in accessibility. They started off with 20 US-based retailers to share a post that has more depth like item price and a direct link to purchase everything in one perfectly square photo.

As we tested out the new features, we found it looked similar to tagging a friend in a photo. Instead of a silhouette of a human figure in the bottom corner of a post, the app displays a silhouette of a shopping bag indicating something in the photo is available for direct purchase. When you click the product, a link and price for the item will appear.

Not only does this make our social stalking easier when following our favorite bloggers, like Liz the fun-loving fashionista from lateafternoon, but it is massive for e-commerce considering 80% of the 600 million Instagram users follow a business account. It also is expected to increase merchandising and marketing for retailers because they will be able to use a self-serving analytic tool to view what has been tapped and linked the most from their consumers. Can you say WIN, WIN?

While this is a baby step towards Instagram e-commerce, we know they have big plans to eventually have product recommendations, exploring new ways to showcase products to shoppers, going global and our personal fave is to eventually have the ability to save a shoppable post for a rainy day, in other words #PayDay.

How can your brand benefit from this new feature – or will it just be your closet?