Fresh from a successful launch of a YouTube competitor, IGTV, Instagram is looking to step up to rivals in the e-commerce category with a ‘standalone’ shopping app. This means that the already existing Instagram app will be used for communication only and the incoming ‘standalone’ shopping app will be used for shopping only rather than using one app for both functions.
As reported by The Verge, this shopping app could allow Instagram users to browse through goods sold by brands and businesses on the platform and buy them from within the app itself. As for the name, it could essentially be called ‘IG Shopping’ but nothing is set in stone and could change over the course of development.
In fact, Instagram has been setting up its shopping gateways for some time, having integrated new business and e-commerce tools into the app. Popular users and celebrities can tag products in their posts for followers to tap and buy directly from within the app. Instagram has even come up with a native payments platform.
While a dedicated shopping platform could be a great opportunity for Instagram-friendly brands, given the state of IGTV right now, it would be hard to show users the appeal of yet another Instagram app. IGTV seemed like a breath of fresh air when it came on the scene, but its hype has certainly faded out if not dead. IG Shopping would need to have, from the onset, brands, and businesses that are well known to inspire the influx of users.
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