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Instagram will let creators sell their products in the app
Instagram’s new Commerce Eligibility Requirements go into effect July 9th.
Beginning next month, Instagram will let creators sell merchandise directly in the app. Today, the platform announced new Commerce Eligibility Requirements that expand access to Instagram Shopping to more businesses, including creators. During the pandemic, when many still aren’t going to stores, this could help creators sell more products and make a living.
The updated requirements go into effect July 9th, and they apply in all countries where Instagram Shopping is supported. Creators’ accounts will need to demonstrate trustworthiness and be backed by an authentic, established presence, which “may also include maintaining a sufficient follower base.” Instagram didn’t specify how many followers creators need to qualify. Creators will also have to tag products on Instagram from a single website that they own and sell from.
Instagram has been working to make shopping a cornerstone of its app experience for years. It first introduced shopping tags in 2016, and in 2018, it built a shopping feature into Stories and the Explore tab. By 2019, celebrities and influencers had access to Instagram’s shopping features. But until now, Instagram creators have largely been left out of the shopping experience -- YouTube has let creators in the US sell merch since 2018. It makes sense that Instagram would allow creators to participate in shopping, too.
