Meta has announced that it is removing the option for Facebook and Instagram shops to link to third-party e-commerce websites in the US.
Meta claims that Shops that allow users to make purchases entirely within the Facebook and Instagram platforms deliver better results. So new shops will have to sign up to Fulfilment by Facebook (FBF) and Fulfilment by Instagram (FBI) and enable in-app shopping. Meta plans to support existing businesses making the transition up until April 24, 2024.
Brands and businesses in some markets will only be able to use product tags and shoppable posts if they’ve enabled their Facebook or Instagram Shop.
To support the move, Meta says it is launching a raft of new tools, such as ratings, reviews, buyer email opt-in, and dynamic product pages to enhance marketing, product promotion, and connection with customers.
Meta has listed 21* countries, including the UK, which can continue using shops without FBF and FBI, at least for the time being. The Shops experience in those territories will evolve to be more focused on driving product discovery through product details pages, product tagging on organic posts, ads with product tags, and conversion on a business’ website. Certain features, like storefront, wishlist and collections, will no longer be accessible in these markets to support this new simplified and streamlined experience.
* Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK and Ukraine.
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