META, which is a parent company to Instagram, has introduced a new way to buy products.
On Monday, 18 June, the company announced a payment feature that will allow users to buy from small businesses through direct messages.
“When you’re chatting to a qualified small business on Instagram, you’ll now be able to make purchases without leaving the chat. For example, if you’re interested in a backpack, all you have to do is send a message to the business about the one you love,” Meta said in a statement.
Customers will also be able to track their orders and ask the business follow-up questions related to the purchase.
“You’ll be able to use Meta Pay to complete purchases, making check-out even easier in just a few taps. And, you can shop with confidence knowing that your payments are securely processed, and your purchases are protected,” it read.
Instagram boasts more than one billion monthly users, and this new feature will allow small businesses to:
- Communicate with customers in real-time to answer questions and confirm purchase details.
- Create a payment request with item description and price.
- Request and collect payment.
