Merchants will soon be able to create custom online storefronts within Instagram and Facebook. With Facebook Shops, you will be able to sell directly through Facebook and customize the look at feel of the storefront. The products, stock, and shipping will all still be handled within Shopify(or your e-commerce platform of choice) as Facebook Shops is only a simpler version of your store.
Enhanced integrations and styling options
You will have control of the branding to keep it in line with your brand id, whilst staying true to the unique styling of the native app. Merchants will be able to display store collections as tiles to best showcase the product catalog. The focus is very much with mobile in mind with this new feature. Facebook Shop will be available on Instagram for select users (those who have enabled product tagging) and will roll out to Facebook at a later date.
You can set up the app in your Shopify store backend in the meantime while you wait for it to become available.
Checkout is still handled by Shopify.
This powerful new tool will be good news for cash strapped merchants affected by the current economic crisis. Potential customers can browse through your Facebook Shop, search and buy products, all within the social media platform.
Live Chat has become a must-have for all online retailers and has a significant impact on sales and abandoned cart rates. Customers need an easy multi-channel option to help interact with stores. Facebook Shops includes the ability to chat with customers through WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram Direct.
Some of the biggest news was the following from Facebook's press release:
“And in the future, you’ll be able to view a business’ shop and make purchases right within a chat in WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram Direct.”
Integration into Live Shopping will provide more exposure options for retailers, and further cement Facebook's footprint into the e-commerce landscape.
“Soon, sellers, brands, and creators will be able to tag products from their Facebook Shop or catalog before going live and those products will be shown at the bottom of the video so people can easily tap to learn more and purchase.” Facebook Blog Post
Instagram Shop is exciting news for the millions of social media influencers looking to monetize their brands. They will now be able to list their products in their profiles in a new Shop tab.
Shopify's Facebook App Upgrade
Shopify also announced a new, more advanced Facebook channel that will streamline the process of syncing your products with Facebook.
From the Shopify Blog:
“Meet your customers where they are. It's the golden rule for every business.”
“You can bring your products to Facebook and Instagram's digital market with a shopping experience that feels native to each platform, on any device. Showcase your distinct brand and products by customizing the colors and layout of your Facebook Shop, and organize product collections into featured tiles to match the look and feel of your Shopify store” Shopify Blog Post
The rollout of Facebook Shops will continue over the coming months with more features being rolled out. This is welcome news for merchants and customers and will offer a more seamless experience when shopping online. It might also be good news for Facebook investors as this new initiative is sure to boost ad revenue for the social media giant.
This together with the latest update and upgrade to the Pinterest App is music to the ears of the over 1 million Shopify Merchants.
The world is moving more and more online and features like this will be a great asset for online retailers or those looking to start selling online. Users of the social media giants are already comfortable spending hours on the platforms each day. Doing your shopping there is not that far a jump to make, and deep integrations like the above will further cement these shopping habits.
Good news for e-commerce but not so much for brick-and-mortar only retailers.
Facebook will be partnering more closely with the following e-commerce platforms:
- Shopify
- BigCommerce
- WooCommerce
- ChannelAdvisor
- CedCommerce
- Cafe24
- Tienda Nube
- Feedonomics
Live Interview with Mark Zuckerberg
