In order to make WhatsApp more profitable, Facebook is making it even easier for users to buy things as they enjoy reading through their WhatsApp messages, photos, memes, and videos. Instagram Shops and Facebook Marketplace are already displayed prominently on the apps’ bottom navigation tabs and this and many more other updates are finally coming to WhatsApp to allow WhatsApp users to shop for goods and services.
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CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced three e-commerce updates that are coming to Facebook products in a Live Audio Room,: Shops on WhatsApp and Marketplace, Shops Ads and Instagram Visual Search.
“More than 1 billion people use Marketplace each month, so we’re making it easy for businesses to bring their Shops into Marketplace to reach even more people,” Zuckerberg wrote in a Facebook post. When customers view a shop on WhatsApp, they’ll have the option of chatting with a business before buying something.
Image Credits: WhatsApp
The rollout for Shops in WhatsApp will start soon, and Shops inventory in Marketplace is available now for Shops in the U.S. with on-site checkout.
The next feature, Shops Ads, aims to provide a more individualized shopping experience based on people’s individual shopping habits. Zuckerberg said, “We’re launching the ability for a business to send shoppers to where you’re going to be most likely to make a purchase based on your shopping behavior.” Starting now, AR Dynamic Ads are available in the United States — companies like Huda Beauty and Laura Mercier are using these ads to let customers test lipstick shades with AR before making a purchase.
Image Credits: Facebook
Over on Instagram, an AI-based Visual Search feature will roll out for testing in the coming months.
“A lot of shopping discovery begins with visual discovery, right, so you see something that you think is awesome. And then, you know, maybe you want to see other products that are like that, or you want to figure out how to get that product,” Zuckerberg explained. “And this is the type of problem that AI can really help out with.”
