Facebook launches 'shop' as pandemic pushes e-commerce

Facebook is making a major new push into e-commerce. The company announced the launch of Shops, a way for businesses to set up free storefronts on Facebook and Instagram.

I just announced that we're launching Facebook Shops today – the basic idea is that any small business can easily start a shop to sell things directly across our apps. If you visit someone's shop, you'll be able to see that small business's story, see their featured products, and buy them in our apps Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Tuesday.

According to Zuckerberg, the basic idea behind Facebook Shops (or Shops for short) is that it allows small businesses to build an online store and sell things directly across Facebook’s family of apps, including Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook Shops are also highly customizable. Businesses can choose the products they want to feature from their catalog and then customize the look and feel of their shop with a cover image and accent colors that showcase their brand.




According to Zuckerberg, part of Facebook Shops’ customization will also come from AI and Facebook’s augmented reality tech.

For example, if you’re a clothing store that makes clothes for both men and women, you’ll be able to personalize your storefront to show products that most relevant to the visitor, like men’s jackets or women’s jeans.

Zuckerberg also added that -Facebook will not charge businesses to create virtual storefronts. Business owners can create a dedicated “shop” section on their Facebook Page or Instagram profile and build out a catalog of products and services that visitors can browse, save, share, and even purchase.

"The primary focus is to ensure small and medium size businesses have presences online and survive the current situation," Facebook director of product management George Lee said during a press briefing on the new product.

Facebook's announcement comes as consumers have flocked to online shopping during the pandemic. Amazon and Walmart have each reported dramatic increases in their e-commerce businesses.

Facebook first launched the checkout feature last year on Instagram in the U.S., letting people stay in the app to complete their purchases. Instagram takes a cut of each sale.