Instagram shopping has finally arrived and we’re here for it

Bye bank balance

Words by Anna Clarke

Your favourite time-zapping app, Instagram, has launched a new shopping service today. The long-awaited feature, which first rolled out in the US in 2017, has finally dropped onto UK shores making it super simple to buy all your favourite bits directly from the 'gram. Plus, you don’t even have to interrupt that deep-dive stalking binge. Basically, Instagram shopping is here to solve all your problems.

How does it work exactly? All shoppable posts will display a little shopping bag icon, so you easily tell what is purchasable and what isn’t. By tapping on the pic all the pricing and sizing details will appear and then you can click ‘Shop Now’ to go straight through and buy it. Sounds pretty straightforward.

Currently it’s being trialled with three UK clothing brands, Marks & Spencer, swimwear label Heidi Klein and slipper brand mahabis. But more shops are expected to be coming on board over the coming few months. So very soon you might be able to purchase that new Réalisation Par dress in just a few taps…

‘Instagram has always been a great platform through which to showcase our products and engage with customers,' explained Erin Roy, head of media and digital marketing at Marks & Spencer. 'Shoppable posts take this to a whole new level. They are simple to create, easy for our customers to use and enhance the Instagram experience,’

Shops, from major brands to smaller businesses, can tag up to five products per photo or up to twenty products per carousel so shoppers will have be able to take their pick.

‘People come to Instagram every day to discover and buy products from their favourite businesses. We want that to be a seamless experience. Whether it’s a local artisan, florist or clothing store…’ said Jim Squires, Head of Business for Instagram.

And it’s not just the UK that will benefit from the new service, Instagram Shopping also launches in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Spain today too.

Time to start saving that dollah bill.