Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg revealed its newly launched “payment in chat” update for the Instagram app on Monday. The new feature will allow users to purchase directly and track their orders from small businesses through the app’s Direct Message or DM.
On the other hand, small businesses using the new update can confirm purchases, create payment requests, and collect payments. The payment feature will allow business owners to answer inquiries and process purchases in real-time without exiting the chat with the customer.
In his chat with Hawaiian surfboard shop, Jaw Surf, on Instagram, as published in Meta, Zuckerberg said that the app Instagram’s primary goal is not only to help people connect with their loved ones but also with their favorite businesses.
“We want to help people start conversations with businesses they care about and help them find and buy products they love in an easy, seamless experience, right from the chat thread,” Zuckerberg added.
Jaw Surf is among the qualified Instagram shops that can now enjoy the app’s new payment feature. In their latest Instagram post, the shop said they are “excited as this is just another tool to help further streamline efficiency.”
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To use the new feature, users can send a direct message to a qualified small business on Instagram. Through chat, the user can ask questions and clarify details about the product directly to the seller. Once the seller and the shopper agree on the product specifications, the seller can request payment from the user. A “Pay” button will appear, and once clicked by the buyer, it will ask them to review their information and shipping address. Within that same chat thread, you can track your order and send follow-up questions to the businesses.
The payment feature update also highlights the company’s Meta Pay, which you can use to complete purchases. Meta Pay is a digital wallet for the metaverse and is the rebrand of the old Facebook Pay. The company assures a securely processed and protected purchase using Meta Pay.
“As we look toward the next chapter of the internet and the metaverse, we’re looking forward to giving people more access to tools like payments in chat that will make people’s lives easier,” says Zuckerberg on Meta.
Currently, the new payment feature is only available in the United States. Users outside of the US can wait for updates from Instagram or Meta of any possible roll-outs in their country.
Source: https://about.fb.com/news/2022/07/buy-products-on-instagram-in-chat/
