Instagram's Shop tab has been removed from the app’s Home Screen and hidden underneath Settings. The Shop tab used to be on the bottom navigation bar. Instagram launched Shops in 2020, giving users more ways to buy products within the app. Instagram has other ways to shop throughout the app, including in the feed, stories, or reels, but the Shop tab may not be as successful as Instagram hoped. Instagram notified staff in an internal memo earlier this month that the company would be testing a simpler version of the e-commerce feature, The Information reported. The reason for this was due to a shift in ‘company priorities,” the memo said. Users who noticed the test were happy to see the shopping feature be removed. This is good news for creators as it signifies that Instagram is prioritizing other ways to monetize its platform rather than relying solely on Shop. This could mean opportunities in the future for creators who have products they would like to sell through Instagram.

September 27, 2022 8:00 PM