Shop on Instagram - what is it and how do I set one up?

Today, social selling is one of the most powerful sales channels in the e-commerce industry. More and more brands are using the most popular social media to be where their target audience is. It is no different with Instagram, which has ceased to be an app just for adding photos, but has become an effective tool for entrepreneurs. Is it worth having a shop on Instagram? We answer!

Shop on Instagram - what are the benefits of selling on Instagram?

The e-commerce industry has spread its wings in recent years and there are no signs that it is about to collapse. It is no secret that customers love to search for and buy products from the comfort of their home and using their smartphone or laptop to do so. Social networks are also changing, introducing new dedicated options for retailers to increase sales and reach potential customers.

The statistics make it clear: the shop function on Instagram has huge potential - already 90% of users follow the profile of brands they are interested in on the site, and 80% admit that Instagram helps them make a purchasing decision. So it is no surprise that more and more retailers are setting up shop on Instagram to promote their business.

Benefits such as:

• the opportunity to reach a huge audience;
• the opportunity to present their products in a different way;
• increasing confidence among consumers;
• gaining an additional channel to promote their products;
• the opportunity to build brand awareness;
• an opportunity for a major increase in sales.

What conditions do you need to meet to set up shop on Instagram?

It is worth noting that although Instagram offers a lot of paid solutions when it comes to promoting a shop, setting up and running a shop itself is completely free. However, you must meet all the requirements to launch a shop on Instagram.

The main condition imposed by Insta is location - the 'Shopping' function is not available in every country. If you want to operate within Poland, you don't need to worry. Thinking about other countries, however, it is worth checking whether they have this option made available.

To set up a shop on Instagram, it is necessary to have a company account and to sell only physical products. If you have a private account, you can easily convert it to a company account. Simply log in to your account and in the settings click on 'Switch to company profile'. The process is quick and reversible.

Instagram must be connected to Facebook. This can be done by going into the settings on IG, where at the very bottom you will see a link to the "Account Centre". - it is in this tab that you will find the option to add the account you want to link to. But it doesn't stop there: once you have successfully linked your accounts, the next step is to create a product catalogue or link to an existing one. This can be done using a form or the Facebook pixel.

How does the shop work on Instagram?

Selling through Instagram looks almost identical to selling through Facebook, which means that users cannot buy a product directly through the app. The 'Shopping' feature allows products to be tagged on Instagram in posts and testimonials, which is an attractive way to promote an item and encourage consumers to buy.

It is worth noting that this option allows users not only to view product images, but also to read product descriptions and prices. What is more, they can add the product they are interested in to the "Wish List" tab or send a question to the retailer.

If a customer wants to finalise a purchase, all he or she has to do is click on the product in the image, where a special link will appear, leading to a subpage with the product in your online shop - this is where the consumer will be able to complete the transaction.

The last point, but also very important, is to read the terms and conditions of the commercial agreement and the commercial rules. Instagram, like Facebook, is very strict on this point. Make sure that the products in your range are allowed to be sold in the area of these platforms.

Step-by-step instructions for setting up a shop on Instagram

How do you set up shop on Instagram? Fortunately, the whole process is child's play and intuitive. Once you've made sure you meet all the requirements, all you need to do is:

1. Log in to an account, or if we do not already have one, we need to set one up.
2. Once you have successfully logged in to the app, you need to go to 'Account Settings', located on the left-hand side.
3. Go to the "Company" tab and then select "Register for the Shopping service".
4. We then click 'Continue' and select the product catalogue we want to link to.
5. Finally, we confirm the data entered by clicking on the "Done" button.

The last step to make the shop on IG fully operational is to verify the account to meet the conditions. This usually takes a few days, and once the profile is approved, the 'Shopping' function can be activated.

Is it possible to integrate a shop on Instagram with an online shop?

Integrating a shop on Instagram with an online shop is possible and saves a lot of time. However, this is not all the advantages of this solution - such a step makes it possible to track post statistics and link them to sales in the online shop. It is easy to update prices so that those in the catalogue match those on the shop website, and these are just some of the possibilities.

Is it possible to sell on Instagram without an online shop? The answer is simple: as much as possible! Mostly then, the contact with the customer is via private messages. You can also have a shop on Instagram without a business - it is important to remember here that the revenue cannot exceed 50% of the minimum wage amount.

Setting up a shop on Instagram, i.e. how to add products and signage appropriately?

Once we have received notification from Instagram that the shop has been successfully verified, we can start using the new features.

For starters, enable product tagging in your posts - this will enable potential customers to find your brand and navigate to your online shop where they can finalise their purchase. To add a post with a tagged product, simply use the 'tag product' option that appears when you add a post and select the relevant item from the list that appears. Ideally, tags should be placed directly on the item rather than next to or in the background.

Tagging a product in a post or in a testimonial is just the beginning - Meta has gone one step further and instead of directing recipients to your shop's website, it allows direct purchase in the app. Unfortunately, the checkout transition function is only available for US companies at the moment. But that's not all: the option allows you to announce upcoming promotions, so recipients can read the details and set a reminder for when the promotion is available.

It is worth remembering that a maximum of five products can be tagged in one post with a single graphic, in the case of a relationship it can be one product per tile. The greatest possibility is offered by carousels - then it is possible to tag 20 products in total.

Delivery of orders to customers from a shop on Instagram - InPost offer

A simple and quick ordering process encourages the purchase of items found on Instagram. You can streamline the customer's purchase path and thus increase the profits of your online shop. Our range of courier services for businesses can help.

E-commerce entrepreneurs are offered the use of parcel machines. More than 21,000 Paczkomat® machines set up all over Poland will allow you to shorten delivery times and buyers to conveniently collect their orders at any time.

We provide retailers with several types of subscription agreements, taking into account the different number of parcels to be sent per month and their size. In addition, our courier service for businesses includes, among other things, Quick Returns, e-mail and SMS notifications of the dispatch of a parcel and its delivery to a Parcel Machine.

However, the contract with the courier company should not end with deliveries via Parcel Machine. We have also included delivery of orders from the e-shop to the customer's home.

In this case, you can tailor the service to the number of orders handled and their size. The courier contract with InPost is valid for one or two years - depending on the subscription size you choose.

Shop on Instagram - who should opt in?

There are many benefits to shop on Instagram, the biggest being that it encourages impulse buying. Additional functionalities effectively streamline the entire process and shorten the purchase path, which also translates into a positive customer perception. Therefore, anyone who runs an online shop and has an idea of how to present their products attractively to their audience should take this step.

Whether you offer your customers cosmetics, sell jewellery or operate in the area of children's products. Remember, however, that it is the idea that counts first and foremost here - content on Instagram is secondary, with photos and video playing the main fiddle.

The app has a lot of sales potential that is definitely worth exploiting. Optimising your account and taking advantage of all the solutions the platform offers is a definite must have in your e-marketing strategy. You will definitely notice tangible benefits, such as building brand awareness, gaining trust among customers and increasing the sales factor.