A lack of audience demand is nudging the platform to scale back its in-stream shopping elements.
While the pandemic may have boosted overall ecommerce activity, the latest shopping tools on platforms like TikTok and Instagram haven’t exactly taken off. This lack of public response might be one of the reasons that Instagram has decided to scale back its in-stream shopping programme.
According to reports, the Meta-owned app is shifting focus from its ecommerce efforts to those directly driving advertising. The Instagram “Shop” tab is expected to eventually disappear from the app to make way for a simpler and less personalised version of the in-stream product display.
The retreat shows how Meta is moving away from specific long-term projects to build its short-form video platform. This includes its in-stream commerce, which used to be area of key focus for the company.
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