The storefront feature is great for taking your business to the next level. Instagram Shop is an in-app shopping destination that allows you to create a virtual storefront. Not only does it allow you to sell your products on Instagram, it also helps people discover them! Let’s learn more about Instagram fulfillment and shopping.
Instagram Shop is a great way to expand your business and attract new customers. It’s easy to set up as well as manage and fulfill your orders all in one place.
Benefits of Having an Instagram Shop
Setting up a shop on Instagram is something that’s becoming essential to e-commerce businesses. More than 500 million Instagram users are active on the platform daily, and 50% of them follow at least one business.
But how exactly will it help you grow your business, and how can you set one up? Here are just a few, but major advantages to setting up on Instagram Shop.
Great for Expanding a Business
By adding your products to Instagram Shop, you can increase your sales and your customer base. Your products will show up on Instagram’s “Explore” tab and even on searches for related products!
This kind of exposure is especially great if you are just starting your business. On the other hand, if you’re considering increasing sales and growing your business, Instagram is a powerful platform for that, too.
Boost Sales on Two Platforms
When you create a storefront on Instagram, you also have to create a Facebook Store. This is because Instagram pulls your product information from your Facebook profile to create your Instagram Shop.
There are a few moving parts to setting this up, which we will explain. However, the process is extremely worthwhile. Not only will you have an Instagram Shop, but you will also have a Facebook one too! That would mean having two selling platforms. Furthermore, both platforms have their own features that are designed to boost your sales.
Sales are almost guaranteed to increase with help from tools like product tagging, and the ability to view abandoned shopping carts on Instagram.
Easy To Fulfill Orders
The hard part is mostly over once you finish your Instagram Shop set up. After that, all you have to worry about is fulfilling all of your Instagram orders!
Another benefit to setting up your Instagram Shop is having your order fulfillment being handled in one place. Because both the Facebook and Instagram shops are connected, order fulfillment is kept easy. No matter where your customer finishes checkout, you will be able to fulfill your orders in your Commerce Manager.
Once you start receiving orders, this would also be a good time to consider 3PL fulfillment partners. Fulfillment partners, like Print Bind Ship, can help you package and ship your customer orders.
When you choose to work with a fulfillment partner, you’ll be able to focus on growing your business more through Instagram.
How To Set Up Your Instagram Shop
The first step to setting up your Instagram shop is to make sure you’re eligible for Instagram Shopping. As long as you’re selling physical goods that comply with Facebook’s commerce policies, you’re pretty much good to go.
Also, before you set up shop, you may want to make sure your Instagram account is a business account. Afterward, you can follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Connect Instagram to a Facebook Page and Catalog
Connect your Instagram business profile to a Facebook catalog. You can use Facebook’s catalog manager as a do-it-yourself method. Furthermore, you can create yourself a new catalog, or connect to an existing one.
Note: If you want to use product tags and stickers (you probably do), choose an E-Commerce Catalog.
Step 2. Sign up in the App
Once your account and catalog are connected, go to the Instagram app to sign up for Shopping. You do this by going to your profile’s settings, and tapping Business. Next, you will tap Instagram Shopping and follow the steps.
After tapping Submit, your account will be up for review. Usually, the process takes a few days, however, it can sometimes take longer. To check your review status, visit Shopping in Settings at any time.
Step 3: Start Selling with Instagram Shop
As soon as you’re approved, you will receive notifications from Instagram and complete set-up in Shopping in Settings.
You can now start selling as well as using the product features Instagram has to offer.
Selling and Fulfilling Instagram Shop Orders
Now that you’ve started selling with the Instagram shop feature, you’ll probably have a lot of orders coming in. You can easily keep track of these orders from the Commerce Manager.
Instagram Fulfillment in Commerce Manager
Assuming your shop offers checkout, you can use Facebook’s Commerce Manager to fulfill orders from Facebook and Instagram.
Here is where you can also view inventory data, access tax/shipping settings, and download invoices for commission payouts to Facebook, which retailers will be required to include if they choose to use this feature.
Furthermore, the most important function is that it’s placed where merchants can manage and view orders, cancel orders, and contact customers about an order.
What’s Next: Instagram Fulfillment With Print Bind Ship
Now that you know how to set up your Instagram Shop, you may want to consider a fulfillment partner. With your products being sold on multiple platforms, it will be crucial that you can keep track of orders, so you may ship them in a timely manner.
Facebook requires merchants to fulfill and ship orders within 3 business days from the date of purchase and provide buyers with valid tracking information on all purchases. If a merchant has not fulfilled an order within 30 days from the date of the purchase, that order will be automatically canceled by Facebook.
A fulfillment partner, such as Print Bind Ship, can help you keep up with these shipping times by shipping orders worldwide within 24 hours of order processing. As a certified shipping center, Print Bind Ship offers its shipping and freight costs at a competitive rate.
Contact Print Bind Ship and see how to take your business to the next level.