Instagram are focusing on brand loyalty with a scheduled launch of ‘product drop’ reminders, whetting sellers’ appetite to jump on the social commerce bandwagon where they can turn product discovery into sales.
The social media platform are currently testing a new way to set reminders about the upcoming products launches in a move aimed at providing brands with sufficient artillery of tools and services to bag sales on the site.
The new tool will send notificants to shoppers, so they can buy sellers’ products the moment they go live. The product launch sticker in Instagram Stories and product launch tag in feed lets clients set reminders for the launch date, preview product details and buy as soon as a product is available without leaving the platform. It’s set to complement trade-related tools, including shoppable stories and checkout, already available to retailers to run a fully-fledged business.
Leading brands including adidas, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Michael Kors, H&M and more are part of Instagram’s closed checkout beta which will be using this feature in the US starting today and over the coming weeks ahead of the wider introduction.
“We believe in fostering real connections with our customers, which is why we were so excited to give the Instagram community the first opportunity to get their hands on the eye shadow palette made in collaboration with beauty creator, Jackie Aina – who has a fanbase that’s just as passionate about makeup as we are. Instagram was not only the best tool for unveiling the palette but the perfect way to make a must-have product purchasable in the moment, without ever needing to leave the app.”
– Anastasia Soare, chief executive officer, @anastasiabeverlyhills.
The move marks another chapter in Instagram’s investment to support brands sell better and more on the platform – upping their social commerce game to compete with their counterpart, Pinterest – which last week announced new shopping tools aimed at traders who use inspiration as a magnet for sales.
The two heavyweight players operate a similar business model, leveraging visual inspiration and focus on trends to attract consumers. Shoppers follow their favourite brands and creators—all kinds of tastemakers to keep up with these interests and discover new products. Brands and creators connect with shoppers eager to have those products the instant they’re available. The convergence of these activities sees the platforms adopting unconventional strategies to help brands stay in business.
