Shopping Or Shopping Can Be Directly Through Instagram

JAKARTA - Instagram today officially launched the Shopping feature for its users in Indonesia. Through this feature, businesses can list products and prices for goods to be sold in feed uploads.

The launch of this feature is part of Instagram's commitment to supporting MSMEs in adapting to digital transformation, and helping them to help drive Indonesia's digital economy.

"Today we are launching the Shopping feature for all business and creator accounts, we will roll it out gradually," said Facebook Indonesia chairman Peter Lydian during a virtual press conference, Tuesday, October 6.

To be able to take advantage of this feature, users are required to have an Instagram business account and create a shop through the Commerce Manager. In order to maintain security, Instagram will require that the account has an official website so that it can link merchandise to be sold.

Users who click on the link in the UMKM account upload will be taken to the official website and buying and selling transactions will take place on the official site owned by the UMKM, not on the Facebook platform.

Last July, Instagram tested the Shop tab on the main navigation page, in the near future, the tab will be launched for users.

Facebook Indonesia noted that the Instagram platform is not only used to share photo and video content, but also for business marketing. According to Peter, Indonesia is in the top five in the world with the most business profiles.

Instagram internal data for 2019 shows as many as 90 percent of Instagram users follow at least one business account.

This Instagram Shopping feature is also integrated with the Facebook Shop feature, which has already been launched in Indonesia, so that MSMEs can use cross-platform selling features.

The appearance of this Shopping feature coincides with an encouragement for MSME players to take advantage of digital platforms to help their businesses, especially during a pandemic like this time.

Facebook Indonesia stated that to encourage digital transformation in Indonesia, they are collaborating with related ministries, one of which is the Ministry of Trade, to conduct training for MSMEs players to the Grow on Facebook campaign to support the Proud Indonesia program.