It's not a stretch to say that Instagram has transformed how we shop: Browsing the app is practically the new window shopping.
As Instagram has incorporated shopping tools into its feed, allowing brands to tag products directly in photos, it’s become infinitely easier to scroll, shop, and DM companies to ask personalised questions about an order. Now, Instagram is taking things a bit further with new shopping stickers for Instagram Stories.
Beginning today, you'll start seeing shopping stickers on the Stories of seven brands: Old Navy, Louis Vuitton, Adidas, Alex And Ani, West Elm, Abercrombie and Hollister. Instagram says you can expect more brands to roll out the stickers in coming weeks.
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The stickers may include the full name of the product or just a shopping bag icon. When you tap the sticker, you'll see an image of the product and an option to "see details." Tap that and it will open a new screen, still within Instagram, that includes product details as well as an option to look at other products featured in the Story. From there, you can tap "view on website" to complete the purchase.
While these new shopping tools certainly add to the convenience of buying jewellery and clothes you like, they will likely increase the amount of time you're spending on the app. Online shopping is one of the easiest ways to fall down a digital rabbithole — those 10 minutes you planned to spend looking for a dress quickly turn into 30 or 40 before you know it. That's not bad, especially if you're finding items you want to buy, but it could be counterproductive: Last month, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom confirmed the app is "building tools that will help the IG community know more about the time they spend on Instagram" since "any time spent should be positive and intentional."
If anything, though, it's your wallet and not your watch you'll have to keep tabs on as shopping on Instagram becomes simpler and more streamlined than ever before.