Meta and Shopify Relationship Status: It's complicated

Our overachiever client updated to Shopify 2.0, has its Instagram Shop up and running, installed Triple Whale to be on top of its attribution, and is all set with Google Analytics 4. When we think we are up to date, we read news about Meta saying they will require its native checkout experience for all shops on these social platforms. Change is constant, and lately, it feels also faster.

When the Instagram Shop - Shopify Integration was launched, merchants were given the choice to use either Shopify checkout or Instagram's own checkout and payment experience. If you have opted for Shopify as your preferred checkout option within the Shopify integration, you will have to make the change. Yep, you guessed it - you'll need to migrate to Meta's native checkout to keep your social stores open. If you already use Instagram and Facebook checkout, it's business as usual.

It makes sense for Meta to want to own a piece of the pie of the transactions enabled through their platforms and leave Shopify out. But, for merchants, it's not that simple. The Instagram Shop experience is more clunky than the one you can offer on your own site. Features such as upsells, product personalization and extensive product descriptions are not possible on Instagram Shops yet. Change is never easy, and we totally get it. Moving to a new checkout system means learning to navigate the already ultra-complicated Meta Business suite better. Yes, it's a nightmare.

Don't Panic Yet! This change won't be required until April 2024, according to Meta. You've got some extra time to make the necessary changes.

"In the US, we will focus on helping businesses add checkout to their Shop. To ease the transition, we will continue to support Shops that link to a website until April 24, 2024."
Source: Meta

Facebook Shop will become another channel you must update and take care of. Yes, more work. But with this change, the Instagram Shop can become a more significant channel than it is. Meta's newest ad format (Advantage+ Campaigns) is proving to be very effective in increasing sales on social channels, and chances are the Instagram algorithm will reward brands with a strong commerce presence since Mark will, too, get a piece of the pie. 🤑

                     So instead of resisting change. Let's get practical 👩‍💻

8 things you can do to have your Instagram and Facebook Shops ready for the breakup

  1. Check out if you use Shopify Checkout in your Instagram and Facebook Shops and mark your calendar.
  2. Change the checkout when ready.
  3. Explore Advantage Plus Campaigns in Meta.
  4. Take care of your FB and Instagram shops, updating them like other websites.
  5. Take care of your catalog/feed manually or using apps such as Data Feed.
  6. Ensure you have the option to subscribe Instagram and Facebook Shop buyers to your marketing.
  7. Create a welcome email flow, especially for Instagram and Facebook Shop Customers.
  8. Never unsubscribe from this newsletter. We'll keep you posted on the latest app gossip. ;-)

And while our over-achieving client is probably checking the previous list, ensuring we are on top of it, we prefer to take our time, embrace our emotions, and ask our team about their perfect breakup song. Here's the result. 🎵

Isa - Alanis Morissette, You Oughta Know

Euchi - Adele, Someone Like You

Mani - Rihanna, Love On The Brain

Chicha - Lewis Capaldi, Someone You Loved

Mari - Tom Odell, Another Love

Meche - Charliepapa, Zamuro

Anak - Nani, Invierno

 

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