Mark Zuckerberg announced this payment feature today in a chat with Jawsurf on Instagram.
A New Way to Shop: Payments in Chat on Instagram
Instagram helps people discover and connect with what matters most to them. And it’s not just between family and friends — people are messaging with their favorite businesses, too. Each week, one billion people message a business across our family of apps — whether it’s chatting with brands, browsing products, asking for support or interacting with stories. We want to help people start conversations with businesses they care about and help them find and buy products they love in an easy, seamless experience, right from the chat thread. That’s why today we’re introducing a new way to make a purchase on Instagram — right where you chat.
When you’re chatting with a qualified small business on Instagram, you’ll now be able to make purchases without leaving the chat. For example, if you’re interested in a backpack, all you have to do is send a message to the business about the one you love. From there, you can chat about customizations — like adding your initials — and then place your order right in the chat. In that same chat thread, you’ll also be able to track your order and ask the business any follow-up questions. Finally, you’ll be able to use Meta Pay to complete purchases, making checkout even easier in just a few taps. And you can shop with confidence knowing that your payments are securely processed and your purchases are protected.
Using this new feature, small business owners will be able to:
- Chat with customers in real time to answer questions and confirm purchase details.
- Create a payment request with item description and price.
- Request and collect payment.
And when businesses are ready to set up their digital storefront, they can use Shops on Instagram and Facebook.
As we look toward the next chapter of the internet and the metaverse, we’re looking forward to giving people more access to tools like payments in chat that will make people’s lives easier.
