Instagram is changing the way people buy things

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By Gogo
2020/07/01 13:45

Today's Vocabulary

1. hub (n.) 
the central or main part of something where there is most activity

2. retail (n.)  
the activity of selling goods to the public, usually in shops

3. disrupt (v.)  
to prevent something, especially a system, process, or event, from continuing as usual or as expected

4. analyst(n.)  
someone whose job is to study or examine something in detail

5. hunt (n.)  
a search for something or someone

6. blindside (v.)  
to surprise someone, usually with harmful results

7. curate (v.)  
to select things such as documents, music, products, or internet content to be included as part of a list or collection, or on a website

8. irritation (n.)  
the feeling of being angry or annoyed, or something that makes you feel like this

9. scroll (v.)  
to move text or other information on a computer screen in order to see a different part of it

10. ultimately (adv.)  
finally, after a series of things have happened

Instagram is changing the way people buy things

Instagram is great for sharing photos, interacting with celebrities, and discovering trendy looks.

Until recently, brands have used Instagram mostly as an advertising tool to reach consumers. But Instagram has made a series of moves to become a shopping hub, forcing companies to adapt their digital strategies.

Although Instagram remains a very small player in retail, if the platform disrupts shopping one day, retailers who got blindsided by Amazon years ago want to be ahead of the curve this time.

In March, Instagram introduced a new checkout option that allows customers to purchase products directly off a handful of companies’ pages within its app. 

Previously, shoppers had to leave Instagram when they found a product on the app and buy it off retailers’ websites. That was an irritation for customers, analysts say.

Instagram is a useful tool for shoppers to easily discover a curated mix of clothing from brands and celebrities, experts say. This type of hunt can often be frustrating for customers online. That’s because browsing to find clothing is challenging on Amazon or retailers’ websites and apps, where shoppers often have to scroll through dozens of pages and hundreds of products.

“What the internet hasn’t been particularly good at is solving for discovery and window shopping,” said Andrew Lipsman, an analyst at eMarketer. “Instagram is starting to help fill that need for shoppers.”

“Our consumer spends a ton of time on Instagram,” said Emily Maxey, vice president of marketing at Adidas. “The consumer is using Instagram to research our products, connect with friends to get recommendations about our products, and ultimately buy.”

Discussion

1. Do you shop online? Why or why not? 

2. What are the advantages of shopping online?

3. What risks would take when shopping online? Why?

4. Do you prefer online shopping or in-store shopping?

5. Have you ever sold anything online before?

“Whoever said that money can’t buy happiness simply didn’t know where to go shopping.”

Bo Derek

“Shopping is my cardio.”

Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City