Start selling on Instagram without a website

Start selling on Instagram without a website

YES! You don’t need a website!

By using Facebook Shops, businesses can eliminate the need for a website because customers can have the exact same shopping experience natively within the Facebook Shop platform.

Think of the money and time you spend on developers and hosting and all the other expenses involved in running a website. It adds up!

What is a Facebook Shop?

A Facebook Shop is an online store that lives on Facebook and Instagram and allows users to browse, shop, and make purchases directly on Facebook or by clicking through to a company’s website to complete the sale.

Facebook and Instagram users can find businesses on Facebook Shop via a Facebook page or an Instagram profile.

What’s cool about Facebook Shops is that the feature is discoverable organically or through ads, meaning there are many opportunities for social media marketers to optimize businesses for both channels.

Why set up a Facebook shop?

Seamless, easy checkout

Facebook Shops is a one-stop shopping experience for your customers for direct-to-consumers brands. They can engage with your business through Facebook Messenger, be directed to a relevant product, and then checkout directly on Facebook.

Simplified cataloging

Storing product information and updating it with Facebook Shops is super easy. Whenever you need to make changes to your product information — for example, images, descriptions, price, etc. — simply navigate to the Commerce Manager and update your items in minutes.

Easy shipping process

Facebook Shops keeps things super simple by allowing you to use whichever shipping method you prefer, just as long as it offers tracking and delivery confirmation.

If you need to customize the details of a shipment, head to the Commerce Manager to edit shipping details, including shipping price, speed, and destination.

Increase your reach with ads

By running Facebook ads for your products and Facebook Shop page, you’re instantly exposing your business to a new audience and potential customers while driving conversions for your store.

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Provide a next-level customer service experience

Facebook Shops allows customers to engage with a business through Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram to help answer questions, track orders, or settle customer queries. Just like a traditional brick-and-mortar store.

6 easy steps to create a Facebook Shop

Setting up a Facebook shop means you can sell merchandise without the hassle of designing and paying for a website.

Facebook Shop setup

1. Head to facebook.com/commerce manager to get started, and click Next

2. Select the customer checkout method. You can select one of the following options:

a. Checkout on another website (direct your audience to a domain you own)

b. Checkout with Facebook or Instagram (customers will be able to pay for their product within the Facebook or Instagram platform)

c. Checkout with messaging (direct your customers to a Messenger conversation)

Note that the ability to checkout directly on a Meta-owned platform using Shop Pay is only available in the US.

3. Select the Facebook page you want to sell from. If you don’t have your business Facebook page, this is the time to set up one. Click next.

4. Connect your Facebook business account. Set one up if you don’t have one. Click next.

5. Choose where you deliver your products to. Click next.

6. Preview your Facebook Shop and ensure that all the information is correct, then click Finish Setup.

Facebook Shop requirements

To start selling products on Facebook Shop, there are a few requirements that businesses need to fulfill:

  • Complying with Facebook policies, Terms of Service, Commercial Terms, and Community Standards
  • Domain ownership confirmation
  • Be located in a supported market
  • Maintain an authentic, trustworthy presence
  • Present accurate information with clear refund and return policies

Facebook shop customization

All businesses can feature products from their catalog and customize their Facebook Shop to match their brand colors and style.

  1. When you’re logged into Commerce Manager, head to Shops
  2. Then, click on Layout to customize elements of your Facebook shop
  3. You’ll then be able to customize your Facebook Shop, including adding featured collections and promotions, arranging products, change the color of your buttons, and preview your Facebook Shop in light and dark mode
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How to add products to a Facebook Shop

Adding products to your Facebook Shop is an easy process ensuring that customers receive all the information they need to purchase.

Where your products are stored is called a catalog, and you can connect your catalog to different ads and sales channels to promote your items.

To make your first catalog, follow these steps:

1. Login to Commerce Manager.

2. Click +Add Catalogue.

3. Select the catalog type that best represents your business, then click Next.

4. Choose how you want to upload your catalog. Facebook Shops gives you two options: manually upload or connect your catalog from a partner platform, e.g., Shopify or BigCommerce.

5. Name your catalog with an appropriate name, then click Create.

6. Add items to your catalog by clicking Items in the right-hand navigation bar, then select Add Items.

7. The next screen allows you to input your item information, including images, title, product description, website URL to make a purchase, price, and condition.

Create Product Collections on your Facebook Shop

Product collections allow you to showcase your products in a new light.

Collections can be featured on the main page of your Facebook Shop and allow visitors to browse more specific items that have been grouped.

To build a Facebook Shop Product Collection, follow these steps:

  1. Log into Commerce Manager, and click Shops
  2. Click Edit Shop, then click +Add New
  3. Click on Collection, and then click Create New Collection
  4. Name your collection (Spring Sale, New Arrivals, Last Chance, etc.), and then add the items from your inventory that you’d like to feature. Click Confirm.
  5. Add additional details such as images (Facebook recommends a 4:3 ratio and a minimum pixel size of 800 x 600), title, and text.
  6. When you’re finished, click Publish.

Pro tip: If you use Shopify to run your e-commerce store, you can integrate your products directly without manually uploading each item.

What are the Facebook Shop fees?

Let’s break down the selling fees:

  • Whenever you make a sale on Facebook Shops, Meta will take 5% per shipment
  • If your shipment is under $8, Meta will take a flat fee of $0.40
  • The selling fee includes taxes, and the cost of payment processing and applies to all checkout transitions for all products on Facebook Shops and Instagram.

YES! You don’t need a website

By using Facebook Shops, businesses can eliminate the need for a website because customers can have the exact same shopping experience natively within the Facebook Shop platform.

Think of the money and time you spend on developers, hosting, and other expenses of running a website. It adds up!

Want to learn more about how to grow your business on Instagram?

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Book a free consultation with our Instagram Expert to find out how we can help your business grow.

Enjoy Instagramming!