Leaked memos from Meta reveal that the company is looking to push e-commerce even further onto its owned platforms, namely Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
Of course, there’s absolutely no need for a memo in order for us to have caught on to this. Meta’s been incorporating more and more online shopping and e-commerce outlets onto the three platforms since ages. Facebook’s been a central hub for retail and shopping since the 2010’s. Facebook Marketplace and Business are clear indicators for just how much the social network has catered to online shopping for its userbase. I mean, I say for its userbase, but it’s very clear that personal gain was always the primary goal. The platform is also looking into incorporating AR into online shopping, with the intention of creating a unique customer experience. Which, yes, would be very unique and absolutely unheard of…if a certain, small, niche platform by the name of Snapchat didn’t exist in the first place. Oh, well. If Facebook stole Stories, might as well steal some other features as well, right?
Instagram’s approach towards e-commerce was largely influenced by, well, influencers and content creators making it big on the platform. Recent venues on the platform have opened up as a way of online celebrities to sell their personalized branded merchandise to adoring fans, and thus Instagram Shopping made its way into the general consciousness. It’s been a lucrative source of income for all parties involved. WhatsApp, while not having a dedicated shop as of yet, still has retailers and the like operating within the platform. Business tools have also been opened up to them, with WhatsApp also allowing users the option of setting up business accounts and therefore being more accessible to customers. Tools keep getting updating, all geared towards improving the general customer experience.
So, this is what already exists. What does Meta see in the future of all these platforms? Well, head of the Ads and Business Platform team Dan Levy shared a document entitled “Commerce Guidance and Priorities for 2022” with Insider. The document states that a top priority moving forwards will be utilizing Facebook and Instagram’s online shops to sell even more merchandise, with a heavy emphasis on lifestyle brands. Leaked memos from the team reveal that fellow e-commerce platform Shopify is being viewed as a “frenemy”, which in Meta’s eyes is nothing less than the next big competition.
The document concludes that 2022 will be considered a success if on-site shop advertisements are more effective than those inviting users to purchase products off of Meta’s platforms.
Read next: Facebook Sued $150 Billion for Allowing Rohingya Genocide Related Hate Speech
Of course, there’s absolutely no need for a memo in order for us to have caught on to this. Meta’s been incorporating more and more online shopping and e-commerce outlets onto the three platforms since ages. Facebook’s been a central hub for retail and shopping since the 2010’s. Facebook Marketplace and Business are clear indicators for just how much the social network has catered to online shopping for its userbase. I mean, I say for its userbase, but it’s very clear that personal gain was always the primary goal. The platform is also looking into incorporating AR into online shopping, with the intention of creating a unique customer experience. Which, yes, would be very unique and absolutely unheard of…if a certain, small, niche platform by the name of Snapchat didn’t exist in the first place. Oh, well. If Facebook stole Stories, might as well steal some other features as well, right?
Instagram’s approach towards e-commerce was largely influenced by, well, influencers and content creators making it big on the platform. Recent venues on the platform have opened up as a way of online celebrities to sell their personalized branded merchandise to adoring fans, and thus Instagram Shopping made its way into the general consciousness. It’s been a lucrative source of income for all parties involved. WhatsApp, while not having a dedicated shop as of yet, still has retailers and the like operating within the platform. Business tools have also been opened up to them, with WhatsApp also allowing users the option of setting up business accounts and therefore being more accessible to customers. Tools keep getting updating, all geared towards improving the general customer experience.
So, this is what already exists. What does Meta see in the future of all these platforms? Well, head of the Ads and Business Platform team Dan Levy shared a document entitled “Commerce Guidance and Priorities for 2022” with Insider. The document states that a top priority moving forwards will be utilizing Facebook and Instagram’s online shops to sell even more merchandise, with a heavy emphasis on lifestyle brands. Leaked memos from the team reveal that fellow e-commerce platform Shopify is being viewed as a “frenemy”, which in Meta’s eyes is nothing less than the next big competition.
The document concludes that 2022 will be considered a success if on-site shop advertisements are more effective than those inviting users to purchase products off of Meta’s platforms.
Read next: Facebook Sued $150 Billion for Allowing Rohingya Genocide Related Hate Speech