Facebook Shops is open for business beginning from May 19. Before now, users could market their products or services via posts, stories, Messenger, Marketplace, etc, and close the sale outside FB.

Thanks to Facebook Shops, businesses both big and small, can now create customized shops via their Facebook Page which allows them to market and sell directly on Facebook and Instagram. Users can access your shop through your FB Page and  IG profile, or discover it via stories and ads.

This is a welcome development especially for SMBs (which employ about 60 million Americans and account for around 40% of the US economy) amid ongoing efforts to restart the economy. 

In this post, we will discuss what Facebook Shops is and highlight five (5) key reasons why SMBs should incorporate FB Shops into their digital marketing strategy.

So,

What is Facebook Shops?

Launched on May 19, Facebook Shops allows businesses to open shop on FB. Still in beta testing, there are currently over one million such shops to date. Facebook Shops is a precursor to Instagram Shop which will roll out in the US this summer, allowing users to discover and purchase products via Instagram Explore.

As of May 19, nearly one million businesses had already signed up for Facebook Shops. This is a big opportunity for small businesses to tap into emerging social media trends like FB shops to market to a larger audience.

Who Can Open a Facebook Shop?

Anyone with a Facebook Page and something (physical) to sell can open a Facebook Shop. This includes anyone from a rising solopreneur to large multinational corporations. Your shop can be discovered and accessed by FB users all over the world.

Speaking about your shop, here are

5 Reasons SMBs Should Open Facebook Shops

1. COVID-19 Job Loss 

Except you’re in e-commerce or other COVID-19-proof industries, chances are you’re either currently jobless or doing less jobs. According to new reports, almost 40 million Americans have lost their jobs since the pandemic began, with bankruptcies and layoffs widely reported.

As a small business owner, now is the time to take your business online, if you haven’t already done so. Current trends suggest that even after COVID-19 more people will continue to work and shop online. Hence, digital transformation is a must for forward-thinking entrepreneurs.

You can open a Facebook Shop quickly and for free. This should be part of your digital marketing strategy going forward. With billions of users on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, this is a complete no-brainer. 

Brands like InkMeetsPaper are already using Facebook Shops. You too can use it to combat job loss and ensure business continuity.

2. Changing Online Behavior

COVID-19 has disrupted the lives and livelihoods of billions, changing the way we live, work, and shop. Although efforts are ongoing to restart the global economy, pockets of new Coronavirus infections continue to pose a threat.

Lockdowns, stay-at-home orders, curfews, and social distancing are impacting the way we live necessitating certain lifestyle changes like working from home. Facebook, Twitter, Shopify, and many more companies are allowing their staff to work from home indefinitely.   

Staff meetings and classes are taking place online using video conferencing tools like Zoom, collaboration tools like Trello is connecting remote teams, and online shopping, especially for groceries and other home essentials is on the rise. According to BlueCore’s COVID-19 Retail Trends report, first-time online purchases at North American chain stores grew by 119% year-on-year. This is a good time to open a Facebook Shop.   

3. Facebook+Instagram Integration

With Facebook Shops your shop can also be discovered on Instagram. This places your shop in front of billions of monthly active users of the two most popular social networks.  There are over 2.6 billion monthly active FB users and over 1 billion monthly active IG users, 200 million of whom visit a business profile daily (as of Q1 2020). 

This one setup, “two” shops approach makes it easier and faster to get set up and selling on both platforms. It also allows shop owners to market their products simultaneously and seamlessly, using existing social media marketing features on both sites like ads and stories. You can also use full-screen photos and collections to showcase your products.

With Instagram Shop (out this summer in the US), users can browse and buy their favorite brands or products directly from Instagram Explore. Later this year, a new shop tab feature will be introduced in the navigation bar, allowing shoppers to access your Instagram Shop with one tap.  

4. Instant Messaging

Effective communication is key to closing the sale. With more and more people going and shopping online, shoppers are increasingly seeking fast and efficient channels of two-way communication with brands.

According to reports by Facebook IQ, 76% of Brazilians, 79% of Indians,  66% of Brits, and 69% of Americans say being able to directly message a business helps them build trust and connect with brands. 

Facebook Shops supports instant messaging. Shoppers can directly message brands, businesses, and shop owners to request for information, track orders, get support, etc. It supports Instagram Direct, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp messaging.  Soon, a new feature will be added which will allow shoppers to browse and buy products right from within chats.
 

5. Partnerships

Facebook is partnering with key e-commerce brands to fine-tune its shops. These partnerships are helping to bridge the gap between social and commerce, facilitating smoother online shopping experiences on social media.

For instance, Shopify merchants and dropshippers can now install Facebook to their Shopify admin panel in preparation for global Facebook Shops rollout. This allows you to combine the power of a Shopify Store and a Facebook Shop to improve online shopping experiences.

To deliver stellar user experience, Facebook is also partnering with other e-commerce companies like:

-BigCommerce
-WooCommerce
-Channel Advisor
-CedCommerce
-Cafe24
-Tienda Nube
-Feedonomics

These partnerships will help store owners and brands achieve and get more out of their Facebook Shops.

Conclusion

According to reports, as of 2016, over 209 million Americans were online shoppers who had either browsed, compared prices, or bought merchandise online. By 2020, over $4 trillion will be spent by over 2 billion online shoppers.

Some of these shopping activities now take place on social media. By opening a Facebook Shop you position yourself to take your cut of the social commerce pie.