How to Use Instagram Shopping

Instagram has expanded its shopping features, making it seamless for businesses to set up Instagram Shops and much easier for Instagram users to find and buy the products they want without ever leaving the app. Here's how it works.

Shop With Brands in Your Instagram Feed

When you're scrolling through your Instagram feed, you'll come across posts from brands you already follow. You'll also see "sponsored" posts that appear in your feed based on past purchases or other posts you've liked.

With some shopping posts, you're taken to the brand's website. With others, you're taken to their Instagram Shop.

Buy From a "View Products" Instagram Post

1. If you find a brand's post with a product you're interested in buying, tap View Products (shopping bag icon).

2. You'll see details about the products in the post. Scroll down to see more items from that shop.

   

3. Tap an item you want to purchase, and then tap View on Website. Choose any appropriate options, such as size or color, and then tap Add to Cart. Proceed to checkout and complete your purchase as you normally would.

   

Buy From a "Shop Now" Post

If a brand includes a Show Now link, you'll be able to complete your purchase without visiting the brand's website.

1. From a shoppable Instagram post, tap Shop Now.

2. Tap an item to select it for purchase and then tap Add to Cart.

   The brand may use similar verbiage, such as Add to Bag.

3. Tap Checkout and complete your purchase. You may be asked to log in to a retailer's site or continue the checkout as a guest.

   

How to Use the Instagram Shop Tab

When you tap the Instagram Shop tab on the bottom of your screen, it's easy to explore Instagram Shops and make purchases from a seller's website or right from Instagram.

1. Tap Shop (purse icon) from the bottom of your Instagram home feed and scroll to browse various Instagram Shops.

2. Or, tap Browse Shops to go directly to brands you follow and shops Instagram recommends based on your prior activity. Tap View Shop to enter a shop.

   

3. Once you're in a shop, tap a product to view it. On some shops, tap View on Website to be taken to the retailer's site, where you can complete the purchase as usual.

   

4. Other shops have a feature called Buy on Instagram that will allow you to complete the purchase without going to a retailer's website. Look for the Buy on Instagram logo and tap View Shop.

   

5. Tap Buy Now or Add to Cart, and then select Proceed to Checkout or View Cart > Proceed to Checkout. Complete the purchase as usual.

   

   Exact verbiage may differ slightly depending on how the retailer has the cart set up.

6. Alternatively, after tapping Shop on your home feed, tap Editors' Picks: Gifts for curated suggestions in various categories. Tap any category to explore, and tap Follow to follow the shop.