Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is ramping up its efforts to promote in-stream buying on its platforms. The company will no longer support Shops that refer buyers to third-party websites and instead will focus on fully enabled Shops in-app with integrated inventory and checkout. Meta plans to upgrade its in-stream shopping tools with new features and integrate Shop ads into its Advantage portfolio of automated ad solutions. The streamlined purchase flow has proven to be more effective than the click-to-website approach, and Meta aims to make it easier for US businesses to set up a Shop with in-app checkout. Retailers who do not add an integrated shopping experience will no longer be able to host a Shop on their Facebook or Instagram page or use product tagging in posts, beginning on August 10, 2023. This move signals Meta’s renewed focus on in-stream commerce, despite previous struggles with in-app shopping elements.
