Will We All Be Doing Our Shopping On Instagram Soon?

Social networking sites, Instagram and Pinterest, are launching ‘shop now’ buttons below their ads.

The popular social media apps, Instagram and Pinterest, have announced they will be launching a ‘shop now’ button below their advertisements, allowing users to purchase items without leaving the app.

The apps will be including a range of new buttons including: ‘install now’ and ‘sign up’ that will encourage users to click through to e-commerce websites without going through the usual cumbersome steps currently involved (the all-too familiar ‘link in bio’, for example).

The links will open up a mini-browser, allowing the user to shop and easily return to Instagram or Pinterest. The latter has partnered with Pay-Pal and Apple Pay to allow this process to be as seamless as possible, with payment companies storing users’ addresses.

The popular photo-sharing app, Instagram has over 300 million users and will be opening its doors to millions of advertisers. The app launched in-app ads in 2013, but this new software will utilise tools that target users based on demographics and personal interests developed by its mother company, Facebook.

‘We have benefited greatly from being a part of Facebook’, said James Quarles, Instagram’s Global Head of Business. ‘It would have taken us years to build this tech stack for ourselves.’

Pinterest, the online ‘scrapbook or ‘wish list’ will be launching buyable pins in response to requests from users. Pinterest chief executive, Ben Silbermann announced at the company’s San Francisco HQ: ‘Pinterest isn’t about getting your chores done. It is about helping you discover beautiful products that you love.’

So, how do we feel about this? On the one hand, this could be mega helpful, taking us one step closer to realising the dream interior deco on our Pinterest board – it presently causing us a world of pain attempting to track down every pouf and decorative bird cage we have pinned – but on the other, it feels a imposing, a little Minority Report (the one where Tom Cruise goes into Gap and the robo-shop already knows his size and favourite style).

Jason Stein, CEO of Laundry Service, a company working with brands including Amazon and Beats by Dre has said ‘I can’t tell you how many people are saying on big brands’ posts, ‘How do I buy this?’ There is a demand that people want to take action.’

What's your conclusion? Let us know in the comment section below.