Engaging in commerce directly through Instagram, without the reliance on an external domain, involves leveraging the platform’s features for product showcasing, order placement, and payment processing. This approach utilizes tools such as shoppable posts, product stickers in stories, and direct messaging to facilitate sales transactions. For example, a small business owner might use Instagram Shopping to tag products in their posts, enabling customers to purchase directly from the Instagram app.
The ability to conduct sales within Instagram offers several advantages. It streamlines the purchasing process for customers, reducing friction and potentially increasing conversion rates. For businesses, it simplifies online selling and can lower operational costs by eliminating the need for website maintenance and hosting. This strategy became increasingly viable with Instagram’s evolution from a primarily social platform to an e-commerce-enabled environment.