Instagram May Release A Standalone Shopping App

• Instagram is reported to be working on its IG Shopping app to expand into e-commerce.
• There is no release date of the app yet but it has been in the online shopping for years.
• The app will allow users to shop directly using their Instagram accounts.

E-commerce is slowly becoming a part of Instagram with many shopping features being released to the app in the recently. The social media giant is now eyeing the online shopping market and is reported to be working on a standalone app for making online purchases.

Instagram already has many advertising partners who showcase their products and allow users to get direct links to shopping websites. The new app is reported to allow users to make purchases from businesses that they follow. While there is a possibility that the app may not be released as it is still in the early stages of development, the social media app’s recent successes with e-commerce features make the IG Shopping app a possible reality.

If Instagram’s IG Shopping app is released, it will go head to head with platforms like Shopify. The Facebook-owned app has been actively trying to break into the e-commerce world lately. Eight countries do access to the platform’s shopping tools, allowing merchants to display multiple products within ads along with prices. Some companies also offer electronic payments and the ability to make appointments at salons, restaurants, and other service establishments. Brands can also sell products through the Instagram stories feature.

Snapchat has been eyeing the e-commerce space as well. Amazon and Snapchat teamed up to offer Camera Search functionality from the Snapchat Camera recently. The unreleased feature is set to allow users to look up products and be redirected to the Amazon app for making purchases. Facebook allows users to make sale posts as well for both business pages and individuals. However, the social media company does not directly handle any transactions and simply works as an advertising platform.

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