Instagram just made life a bit easier for online shoppers. It recently launched a new feature called the Instagram Checkout that allows users to browse, buy and pay for the items directly within the photo-video sharing social networking site.
Normally, in online shopping, the shopper must log in to the seller's site to buy an item. The payment transaction will also take place on the retailer's website but with the new Checkout app, there is no need to navigate outside of Instagram anymore since users can simply browse and pay their items within the app, as per Buzzfeed News.
The app will turn Instagram to a full-fledged commerce hub where businesses can prosper with the support of the buyers. This was introduced on March 19 and still on trial stage but Facebook Co. is hoping for a good outcome from this venture.
Initially, the only way to pay is via PayPal but more options are coming once the service settles and running smoothly already. The reason for launching Checkout is to make Instagram more productive and push e-Commerce by making it a platform for quality shopping.
Ashley Yuki, the Instagram product executive in charge of shopping told Recode, "I love shopping and it sucks on mobile. "Between jumping from apps like Instagram to a retailer's website, to entering credit card and shipping info, the number of steps it takes to buy something online is just too cumbersome. I think people abandon shopping flows now. You just kind of give up."
Yuki explained that this is the other things that Instagram wants to resolve when it decided to add the checkout feature. Now, users can store their credit card details and shipping address on the app, and when shopping, they only have to click a few buttons and their purchase is complete in less than a minute.
"It drives me nuts that I have to download like 10 different retailer's apps and can't see them all cross-cut with each other the way I would at a mall if I was just walking around," Ashley Yuki added. "It just takes so much time. It's not fun."
Furthermore, Instagram is doing this for potential revenues as well so there are lots to be gained from the checkout feature. Finally, users of Instagram can shop for items from these partner stores including Adidas, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Balmain, Burberry, Prada, ColourPop, H&M, Dior, KKW, Kylie Cosmetics, MAC Cosmetics, Michael Kors and more.
