The Click Times: Instagram recently announced that it will be shutting down its Live Shopping feature. This feature allowed users to shop for products directly from their feed and receive real-time updates on the availability of items. It was a great way for businesses to reach out to customers, but unfortunately, the feature has been discontinued. This move by Instagram is a clear indication of the company’s focus on other areas such as video streaming and influencer marketing. With this decision, businesses will have to look for alternative ways to engage with their customers online and increase sales. It is yet to be seen what new features Instagram will introduce in the future that could replace Live Shopping.
Advantages of Live Shopping on Instagram-
1. Promote and Sell:
Promote your products and sell them, all while entertaining your viewers. Live Shopping can improve your selling capabilities because it cuts down the time for product promotion, and you can do it for more than one item in a single stream.
This is important, as at least 80% of users go on Instagram when deciding whether to purchase something or not.
2. Real-time interactivity that builds relationships:
More than 25 million companies use Instagram to connect with consumers, which is highly possible with Live Shopping—and in real-time, to boot. This interaction helps you get insights and feedback directly from them to address pain points, making it a great tool for building strong relationships and nurturing loyalty.
The live setting also leaves an impression of your brand’s more human side. This transparency and authenticity can encourage viewers to stay engaged with you after the Live Shopping and trust you enough to convert.
3. Foster interest and consideration:
Some 90% of Instagram users follow at least one brand, and 75% of them will take action after seeing a post that interests them.
Instagram Live Shopping is your chance to highlight a product’s features and interact with it so that the audience can learn about its benefits. You can also share a review or recommendation to further build the customers’ confidence and see that the product is right for them.
4. Streamline the buying process:
In line with keeping people’s attention, a shorter path to purchase, in which the steps to checkout are minimized, is achievable through live selling. Make sure to move them down the sales funnel during the stream; ideally, they should have bought a product from you before your live sales on Instagram end.
5. Boost conversions and sales:
Ultimately, this is what you want to happen during and after your Instagram live selling. Even if they can’t see and test the product in person, what they are learning live is enough to convince them that your product can improve their lives.
In fact, research has shown that returns are 50% lower when a product is bought off a live-stream than from a traditional e-commerce channel.
Live sales on Instagram puts your products in front of as many eyes as possible—that can be 500 million daily. Couple that with the right kind of engagement, and you can expect better results.
Disadvantages of Live Shopping on Instagram-
1. Limited audience reach:
Instagram Live Shopping is restricted to users who have an Instagram account and actively follow the account hosting the live stream. This means that the potential audience for your products is limited to your existing followers and those who discover your live stream during the broadcast. Compared to other e-commerce platforms or marketing channels, the reach may be narrower.
2. Dependence on live engagement:
Instagram Live Shopping relies heavily on real-time engagement from viewers. This means that the success of your sales depends on people tuning into your live stream and actively participating by asking questions, making comments, or purchasing products in the moment. If you don’t have a large and engaged audience, it may be challenging to generate significant sales or conversions.
3. Limited product visibility:
During a live stream, products may only be showcased for a limited period. If viewers join the live stream after a product has been featured or missed the demonstration, they may not have a chance to see the products in detail. This can limit the exposure and visibility of your products, potentially reducing their chances of being sold.
4. Technical challenges:
Conducting a live stream on Instagram requires a stable internet connection, good lighting, and quality audio. Technical issues such as poor video quality, audio glitches, or connection problems can disrupt the viewer experience and make it difficult to effectively showcase products. Technical challenges may lead to frustration among viewers and impact the overall success of the live shopping experience.
5. Lack of post-live engagement:
Once an Instagram Live Shopping session ends, the engagement and sales opportunities associated with that specific session come to a close as well. Unlike a traditional e-commerce platform, where products remain accessible for purchase even after the initial promotion, the limited timeframe of live streams on Instagram means that potential customers may miss out on the opportunity to purchase products after the session has ended.
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