Some changes on Instagram in February

Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, said that Instagram will receive a “navigation update” in February, with some minor changes to the app’s layout and the alignment of on-screen function buttons.

End of the shop tab to buy directly on Instagram

The shop tab on Instagram was launched in 2020 at the same time as Reels. This “shop” feature was created to encourage users to buy directly on the platform, and at the same time discover products from brands and designers on Instagram.

Meta overestimated the shop tab in terms of its growth potential and the anticipated increase in online sales.

But despite the removal of this feature, users will still be able to purchase products from the Feed, Stories, Reels or ads.

Changing the main menu tabs

Starting in February, the main menu at the bottom of the app will combine the following tabs from left to right: home, search, create a post, view reels (it takes the place of the shop) and access the user’s profile.

According to Instagram, these changes are a way to “simplify the Instagram experience for users“.

TikTok replaces Instagram Shopping

TikTok offers the possibility to buy products directly on their platform.

To sell on TikTok, you need to have :

  • a professional account with a biography, photo, logo and description of your business
  • a TikTok for Business account
  • a Shopify account

Then, you just need to add a “Shopping” tab to your profile that will directly extract products from your Shopify product catalog.

TikTok users can then browse, select and purchase products without leaving the application.