Instagram is reportedly developing a standalone app dedicated to shopping, allowing users to browse and purchase goods on the new platform.
The Verge reported the app, which could be dubbed IG Shopping, is still being developed by Facebook-owned Instagram and there was every chance it could be cancelled before release.
Sources said the move, should it be followed through, would help with an expansion into e-commerce and build on the app’s strong popularity with businesses.
The Verge noted Facebook’s COO Sheryl Sandberg revealed in the company’s last earnings call that more than 25 million businesses have Instagram accounts, while 2 million advertise.
Instagram rolled out a shopping feature in March, allowing companies to tag posts with links to products and allow users to make purchases directly from the photos. The company is now expanding this feature to its stories platform.
Indeed, shopping could emerge as a major use case for Instagram, with four out of five users following at least one business, Facebook revealed earlier this year.
Developing a standalone app for what appears to be a popular activity could be the next logical step, as well as another potential revenue driver.
A separate shopping play would also add to other features which have been, or are being, spun off.
Instagram is testing a standalone app for Direct, its messaging feature, and in June introduced IGTV, which provides a separate app for users to watch long-form videos.
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