Facebook takes the next step towards big innovation with Facebook Shops and Instagram Shop.
This new addition will let sellers feature their products on Facebook by setting up an online shop on the platform. It will be especially helpful for small businesses that don't have a website or a robust online presence to create enough demand. Facebook will be adding Instagram Shop, too, which will serve the same purpose on Instagram.
Other features include:
🛒Ability to customize the Shops page based on their brand properties, so that it does not look like the regular Facebook Marketplace, and has some essence of its own. However, this feature is going to be limited for a while and allow only certain customisations.
🛍️Live Shopping will be enabled by Facebook Shops. Sellers can host live videos, where they can showcase their products to their target audience/page followers and answer any questions they might have. This helps buyers get an up, close, and personal look of the products and have their queries answered, right there.
This is as close as it gets to real shopping, with only the touch & feel part missing. However, before sellers can set up Live Shopping they need to take care of a few things. Find out more about that here.
🗨️Seamless communication by letting buyers connect through FB messenger, WhatsApp, or Instagram direct. This means lesser chances of missing those precious quote requests and product queries and having constant access to your leads and guiding them through the entire marketing & sales funnel.
For small businesses who were already using their FB and Insta pages to sell their wares, this will help give more structure to their online business and ensure better engagement with potential clients.
Whether or not you have a website presence, it is recommended that you set up a Facebook Shop.
After all, there's a higher chance of capturing your target audience in the place they are a frequenter, instead of a new place altogether (read website).
Once you have gotten their attention, gently lead them to your website by offering them a product or loyalty discount and take it from there.
Are you a small business owner? Would you be using this new feature?
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