Instagram is rolling back its plan to turn the photo-sharing app into a shopping destination, removing the Shop tab from its app in February this year. The company will be shifting its efforts from e-commerce and instead focusing on its advertising business, though they still plan to invest in shopping experiences within the Instagram app.
The move was confirmed by Instagram’s parent company Meta when it published a support article on the change. In the article, they said that the change will make it easier for people to “share and connect with their friends and interests.” To replace the Shop tab, a button to create new posts has been placed in the center of the tab bar, with Reels just one spot to its right.
This news doesn’t come as too much of a surprise, though; there were rumors even before September 2022 that Instagram was planning a major reduction in their shopping features. At this time, it was reported that the company had told its employees that investing more in advertising would be more beneficial than continuing to pursue e-commerce goals.
Though its Shop tab may soon be gone from Instagram, it doesn’t mean that users won’t be able to shop from within the app any longer. According to reports, Instagram is still looking for ways to offer value for both people and businesses alike when it comes to the shopping experience. What this may entail, in particular, hasn’t yet been revealed by any official sources.
When originally announced early in the year 2018, Instagram hoped introducing these shopping features would make it easier for individuals and small businesses to reach out and connect with potential customers online. Unfortunately, while these features might have made some progress since then, they haven’t become as popular as other functions such as Reels or Stories – leading ultimately to their decision of discontinuation now.
Whatever the future of Instagram, one thing is certain – they are still committed to providing a great user experience. By removing the Shop tab and instead focusing on other aspects of the app, such as advertising, it looks like Instagram is set up to continue being a top social media platform.
