As many merchants expand their omni-channel business to Facebook, Sellbrite tells you how to join the club – Facebook Set-up steps. As many as 25,000 stores could close this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Coresight Research. But while in-store retail traffic has slowed for most businesses, online purchases are booming.
In fact, the amount customers spent online with U.S. retailers grew more than 30% in the first half of 2020. And online spending accounted for nearly 19% of total retail sales during this period.
Clearly, stores that are set up to sell online have an advantage right now. And thanks to Facebook Shops, it’s easier than ever for small businesses to launch an ecommerce store.
By setting up a free Facebook Shop, sellers can easily create an online store that lives on Facebook and Instagram and enables shoppers to browse and buy within two of the most popular social media apps. Let’s take a look at what a Facebook Shop is and what it can do for your business, as well as how to start your own.
What is a Facebook Shop?
A Facebook Shop is a mobile-first shopping experience that lives inside both the Facebook app and the Instagram app. Nearly a million businesses have already started selling on it.
The Facebook Shop experience feels native to both social networks and works on any device, but it’s designed primarily for mobile. Because of this mobile focus, Facebook has enabled sellers to communicate with customers within chats in Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct, and WhatsApp. And soon, shoppers will be able to make purchases within these chats.
Consumers can find shops on a business’s Facebook Page or Instagram profile. They can also be discovered through ads and Instagram Stories. And sellers can also customize the