Facebook says it is working on visual search for Instagram shopping to help users find info on products in images, and Shops is coming to WhatsApp, Marketplace
Facebook is working on visual search technology for Instagram as it doubles down on shopping features throughout its platform.
EngadgetKarissa Bell
Context & Ripple Effects
Instagram’s commerce effort has moved from an earlier standalone-shopping-app plan toward shopping embedded in its existing surfaces. Facebook then tested a dedicated Shop area while expanding Live Shopping, and later extended shopping tools into IGTV and Reels.
Visual search and the arrival of Shops in WhatsApp and Marketplace connect that existing commerce work across more discovery and transaction touchpoints, rather than treating Instagram shopping as a single feature.
First-order effects
Instagram users will have a new route from product imagery to product information, while Facebook adds Shops to WhatsApp and Marketplace alongside its existing shopping surfaces.
Merchants using Facebook’s shopping tools gain additional places for customers to encounter their storefronts across Instagram, WhatsApp, and Marketplace.
Second-order effects
Facebook can link visual product discovery on Instagram with Shops on its other services, making its commerce tools more valuable as a connected suite than as isolated features.
The expansion raises the importance of Facebook’s own product and storefront infrastructure for sellers seeking reach across its apps, following its earlier Shop-section and Live Shopping tests.
Third-order effects
If Facebook continues adding shopping functions to content, messaging, and marketplace products, its commerce strategy shifts from a distinct Instagram destination toward an integrated layer across its consumer services.
The trend: Social platforms are turning product discovery, creator content, messaging, and storefronts into a unified in-app commerce stack.
Our team's work got a little preview in Zuck's audio room today: 📸 Visual Search, allowing people to find shoppable products from their camera or posts 🛍 Shops becoming more feature-rich on FB, IG, and expanding to WhatsApp https://www.engadget.com/...
Despite being the most digitally savvy generation, Gen Z very much loves to shop in physical stores. But their motive is different than older consumers' and that spells change for brands. https://www.voguebusiness.com/ ...
Instagram has already crammed shopping into nearly everything part of its app.. next up is the camera. Zuckerberg said the company wants to make “photos shoppable on Instagram overall” https://www.engadget.com/...
Mark added that Facebook is also increasing augmented reality try-on for brands through pilots with @ModiFace and Perfect Corp. Carolyn Bojanowski, SVP, GM eCommerce at @Sephora, is also on the call, so I'm gathering this will focus on beauty.
I don't think I'm at all surprised by Facebook exploring visual search for shopping...it has the data, is already focused on image recognition, and Pinterest, Google and others are already using it through a Lens function, so why not Facebook? https://www.engadget.com/...
@ModiFace @Sephora Now Mark is talking about the creator economy again, including the ability for creators to set up their own shops and endorse products. “There's an opportunity in the pandemic ... to rethink some of this more broadly. Creators should be able to make more online…
is it a coincidence that this shit was dumped smack in the middle of prime day? of course it wasn't. it's all connected. it always is. https://www.yahoo.com/...
Mark Zuckerberg just announced in a Live Audio Room that Instagram is adding Pinterest-style visual search, meaning that you can find shoppable items based on images on Insta and images from your camera roll. More on computer vision in @voguebusiness https://www.voguebusiness.com…