Photo: Alexander Koerner (Getty Images)
Like many Instagram users, I often scroll through my feed wondering why I’m not receiving more options to buy shit. Thankfully, Facebook’s constantly growing photo sharing app is looking out for me, the person whose endless appetite for special offers is instantly whetted by shaky cell phone footage. Today, Instagram announced that users will be able to click on certain items in Instagram Stories and buy them. The initial brands highlighted in Instagram’s blog post are all clothing labels, including Adidas, Artiza, and Louis Vuitton.
The new update will allow users to put little stickers on top of items from “select brands” in their Stories, which present a preview of the product a link to the brand’s shopping site when clicked on. Want that pair of shoes? Click the little icon. Want some glasses? They’re a couple clicks away. It will be interesting to see just how many different companies start to take advantage of this function, beyond the obvious makers of clothes and home goods.
For users, this feature is just another layer of non-friend content on the platform. The company’s post mentioned that Stories are used by over 300 million people and last week it was rumoured that Instagram is looking into adding hour-long videos and more professionally made content. If you enjoy Instagram for photos from your favourite dog blogs, don’t be surprised if their Stories start selling you dog treats.