Instagram Connects Shoppers With Brands' Product Drops

Instagram is burrowing further into ecommerce, and looking to be more competitive with TikTok in that realm, with a new feature that connects online shoppers to product drops through its app.

Product drops are promotions used to drive interest and demand for soon-to-be-released, usually limited-in-number, products.

Drops will now have their own destination inside the app at the top of the Shop tab, where consumers can discover, browse and shop all the latest product launches, as well as view upcoming launches.

Shoppers also can opt to receive reminders about products they’re interested in, and look through products and collections from other drops that recently took place on Instagram.

As with other ecommerce through Instagram, users can make their drops purchases directly in the Instagram app.

While brands have been using Instagram for drops since 2019, when its product availability reminder function was launched, the new Drops feature organizes the promotions for convenient browsing and purchasing.

To be considered for featuring in the new feature, brands need to use the product launch feature for businesses that’s located in Checkout with Instagram, Instagram told Techcrunch.

A varying number of Drops will be available each week during the feature’s test period.

The Drops during this week’s launch include Lawless x Sephora mascara (shown), Drake and Nocta’s Cardinal Stock collection, Wren + Glory’s hand-painted summer collection, and Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Lips & Dreams Lashes Kit.

Although Instagram has temporarily waived selling fees to help businesses still recovering from the pandemic, it will eventually collect such fees — which will become more important as advertising on Instagram and Facebook is affected by Apple’s new iOS privacy opt-in.

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