Our shopping habits used to be more selective in the past. In today’s world, e-commerce is becoming almost commonplace.

To capitalise on this trend, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest revamped their shopping tools in 2020. Moreover, product-based businesses are flocking to this new technology in droves, with 73% of them selling on social platforms.

Here are six examples of brands that are leveraging Facebook Shops to drive sales and reduce friction in the buying process.

Social commerce: how it is changing the game

Until recently, we had to determine whether a product link was secure before digging up our wallets, pulling out our physical credit cards and entering our payment information before we could purchase something. Nowadays, tools like ApplePay, PayPal, GooglePay, etc. have streamlined the process even further – lowering the barrier between you and that cute pair of shoes you’ve been eyeing tantalisingly.

The increasing popularity of social commerce has made this slippery slope even more slippery, since it has infiltrated the online spaces in which we spend most of our time. According to a recent survey, 46% of consumers plan on using social platforms’ in-app shopping features more this year.

Facebook Shops – what are they and how do they work?

Shops, one of Facebook’s latest features, are free virtual storefronts that allow businesses to streamline the customer experience through either linking them to their existing website, or, as in the U.S., allowing them to pay directly through Facebook.

Several common e-commerce platforms (e.g., Shopify, OpenCart, GoDaddy, etc.) integrate with Shops, making set up extremely simple by allowing brands to quickly import their catalogs. Businesses can then link their content to products, run sales, and offer assistance via Messenger or WhatsApp.

Here are six Facebook Shop examples you can learn from:

Upon reaching this point, you may be wondering how to jump on the bandwagon to expand your reach. Check out these cutting-edge brands using Facebook Shops to their advantage.

1 | In their in-feed posts, David Outwear tags individual products

David Outerwear is a retailer of men’s clothing that specialises in leather jackets, coats, and accessories.

Generally, they promote their products on Facebook by tagging them. The tactic is simple and no-frills, so any product-based brand can use it.

If a product image catches the eye of a potential buyer, they can instantly learn the price and product details without leaving the app. By doing this, not only is the user experience improved, but the customer journey is narrowed down to only the most essential elements.

Featured products can be tagged when you create a post or retroactively in existing posts. For each image, Facebook recommends tagging fewer than five products.

2 | PinkTag showcases its products by going live

PinkTag is an online clothing boutique for women.

Several times a week, they host Facebook Lives to showcase their products, engage with customers, and offer discounts.

For retailers who want to support their customers during the buying process, livestream shopping is a no-brainer. Your brand might benefit from this option if your products are complex, nuanced or particularly expensive. Real-time interaction with customers gives you the opportunity to answer questions, address objections, and highlight your products’ unique selling points.

By using this format, brands can create product playlists that customers can interact with, allowing them to buy directly from the livestream.

Meta estimates that brands will generate $500 billion in revenue from Live Shopping events by 2023.

3 | With the help of collections, Rothy’s organises their Facebook Shop

Rothy’s is a trendy, sustainable shoe brand that offers styles for men, women, and children.

Collections help them organise their Facebook Shops product catalogue. Brands can curate collections of related products to make browsing and purchasing easier. These sets of featured products can go a long way towards creating a memorable customer experience for high-end brands.

Using or expanding your repertoire of collections might be a great way to make your Facebook Shops storefront more user-friendly and more like your website.

4 | Pixie Mood encourages social commerce engagement via tagged video posts

Pixie Mood is a cruelty-free women’s accessory brand that specialises in vegan leather and other sustainable materials.

Their Facebook feed is regularly updated with videos promoting their products.

Using Facebook Watch, you can share the same kinds of product-centric videos your audience is used to-with the bonus of linking directly to the products for sale.

Video has long dominated social media trend lists-and for good reason. Video gets more Facebook engagement than any other type of content. Wouldn’t it be great to channel all that good energy into your products?

5 | John Lewis & Partners uses user-generated content to get to the people

The UK-based department store and home decor retailer John Lewis & Partners regularly shares content created by its customers. The use of user-generated content (UGC) has become a major trend in social media today. Major brands like Starbucks leverage the voices of their customers to increase their reach and engage their customers more authentically.

You may want to consider UGC if you want to build trust between your brand and your audience. Three-quarters of people say they trust content created by “ordinary people” more than brand-created content.

6 | MeUndies uses a hybrid approach to showcasing products

MeUndies sells sleepwear, undergarments, and more for men and women.

There are some brands that choose to link their Facebook customers directly to their website to buy items, and there are others that utilize Facebook exclusively for product listings, but MeUndies offers the best of both worlds. In addition to linking to their Facebook catalogue, they also share the URL of the product’s associated website.

As a result, they give customers the choice to shop in a way that feels organic and comfortable to them. Offering both options offers the best chance of closing a sale if your brand caters to a broad range of ages or levels of tech know-how.

Follow the example of some of the best Facebook Shops

As social media shopping grows in popularity and ROI, other social platforms will likely offer their own versions of these social commerce tools. Brands that don’t want to be left catching up should ensure they have a strategy in place now. You can gain a leg up on your competition by following the examples of the brands above.

When it comes to engaging customers in the online spaces that your business has already occupied organically, Facebook Shops should be an integral part of your strategy.