Facebook Shops - The newest eCommerce tool to sell on Facebook & Instagram
May 29, 2020
Facebook Shops
And so the inevitable shift to more online sales takes a further leap.
Last week Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg, announced Facebook Shops - the newest eCommerce tool that allows businesses to easily list and sell their products on their Facebook Pages, Instagram profiles, Stories or in ads. Zuckerberg stated “It’s one simple and consistent experience across this family of apps, which means it is easier for people...That of course means there’ll be higher conversions and more sales for small businesses.”
The social media giant’s big push towards eCommerce had their shares soaring at an all time high last week. Presenting itself as a multi billion dollar opportunity had AB Bernstein stating Facebook Shops could unlock a $1.3 trillion market. Analysts are also projecting this could cause Facebook to be competitors to Amazon and Alphabet’s Google.
Facebook is already working closely with partners such as Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce and other eCommerce platforms, to give small businesses the support they need.
The main focus for the Facebook Shops business model is ads. Instead of charging business owners to use their service, if Shops is valuable enough, people will be willing to bid more on ads.
Creating a Facebook Shop
Creating a Facebook Shop is free and simple. A customized look and feel with a cover image and accent colors allow business owners to match their storefront with their brand. Businesses then have the option to feature products from their catalogs. Shoppers can find Facebook Shops through a businesses Facebook Pages, Instagram profile, stories or ads. Products can be browsed, favorited, and orders placed through business websites or without leaving the app if the business has enabled checkout in the US. Shoppers will be able to message businesses with questions, track their deliveries through Whatsapp, Messenger, or an Instagram DM. Facebook Shops will provide the pathway for any seller, of any size, with any budget to bring their products online and connect with customers.
So when will Facebook Shops be available to the public?
They’ve already started rolling Shops out and it will become more widely available in the upcoming months. The hope is to help small businesses facing hardships during these trying times connect them with more customers.
From where they've come, to where they're going...
From individuals posting photos on their FB pages with captions “For Sale” to selling products on FB Marketplace to now Facebook Shops, Facebook has come a long way in the eCommerce ecosystem. What do you think they will do next?