Instagram, a famous social media platform made an announcement that it is launching a new feature to its list of new other distinct features which will help connected online shoppers to product drops through its app. Drops which are the latest e-commerce trend enables sellers to create hype for upcoming products in the days and weeks eventually leading up to their availability. The products themselves are often only available in limited supplies or for a short period of time, increasing demand.
On Instagram, this feature of Drops will have its own place in the app at the top of the Shop tab where it is not only easily discoverable by the consumers but also the latest product launches could be easily viewed. Shoppers can also receive reminders about the products they are interested in, and search through them and other collections from other drops that recently took place on Instagram.
Similarly, like other shopping services provided by the platform, consumers can make their Drops purchases directly in the Instagram app itself via Checkout on Instagram, not by visiting third-party websites. This model will eventually allow Instagram to collect fees on purchases — something that’s become a more important part of Facebook and Instagram’s overall business model in the wake of Apple’s privacy crackdown on iOS apps that impacts Facebook’s ad revenues. However, to help those businesses who are still recovering from COVID-19, Instagram has given up its selling fees on a temporary basis. This strategy can also help the platform to establish and gain ground in online shopping in competition with its rivalries like TikTok.
Brands on Instagram had already been running drops before today when Instagram had released a product reminders feature back in 2019 that allowed consumers to get notified when an item in which they were interested became available for purchase. Till today, brands across fashion, beauty, streetwear, and others have leveraged the feature, the company says, including Hill House Home, Dragun Beauty, Adidas, and others.
This new Drop feature simply organized the product launches at a single place to make it easier to browse and shop. At launch, some of the drops available include today’s Drake x NOCTA “Cardinal Stock” collection and upcoming drops like Wren + Glory hand-painted summer collection and Charlotte Tilbury Exclusive Pillow Talk Lips & Dreams, Lashes Kit. This week, there are five total drops available. This number will vary from week to week as Instagram continues to test the new feature, the company tells us.
