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Instagram launches new shopping features in Stories and Explore

After testing out a new shopping feature in Instagram Stories this summer, the social media platform is now rolling out the new way to buy products to all users, along with a personalized shopping channel in the Explore tab.

Announced in a blog post today, Instagram shared more details on the new shopping features. Over 400 million Instagram accounts use Stories every day, and Instagram says that 33% of the most viewed Stories are from businesses.

Now when you’re watching behind-the-scenes Stories from your favorite brands and see something you love, you can quickly tap on a product to learn more.

The other shopping-related feature that is arriving to the platform is a dedicated channel on Explore.

Topic channels, which launched in June, allow you to browse across your interests and go deeper on any area you like in Explore. Now, when you simply want to shop for fun, you’ll see a channel dedicated to Shopping posts from the brands you follow and brands you might like.

Still no word on the dedicated Instagram shopping app, but these changes certainly point to the likelihood of seeing that happen in the future. Instagram also hinted at this as is looks to make the platform the “best place to shop from your favorite brands and find inspiration.”

Shopping is more than an errand – it’s also about what you discover along the way. For many people on Instagram, shopping is an entertaining way to get inspired and connect with new and interesting brands. We’ll continue to explore the right features and experiences to make Instagram the best place to shop from your favorite brands and find inspiration.

Instagram is a free download from the App Store.


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Avatar for Michael Potuck Michael Potuck

Michael is an editor for 9to5Mac. Since joining in 2016 he has written more than 3,000 articles including breaking news, reviews, and detailed comparisons and tutorials.