Set up your Facebook and Instagram Shop
Marketing and selling your products on social media is quickly becoming an easy way to generate revenue and brand awareness. With the number of active users totaling in the billions, Facebook and Instagram could be the untapped market your company has been looking for.
Setting up your Facebook and/or Instagram storefront is simple. First and foremost, you need to be aware of the policies and prerequisites that could bar your entry into their marketplaces.
Requirements for New Users
First, review your profile and the policies listed on each respective website. To create and run a successful shop, you need to…
- Accept any site policies (TOS, Commercial Terms, Community Standards)
- Directly link to your business domain
- Be located within a supported country
- Frequently use your business profile/support an active following
- Provide honest company information
Prohibited Items
Some items, such as digital products, can’t be sold on Facebook. Below is a more extensive list of products that are prohibited:
- Adult Products
- Alcohol, Ingestible Goods
- Body Parts/Fluids
- Digital Media and Electronic Devices
- Documents, Currency, Financial Instruments
- Hazardous Goods
- Jobs
- Animals, Animal Products, Land
- Prescription Drugs
- Stolen Goods
- Used Cosmetics
- Tobacco Products
Though prohibiting most of these items is commonplace for many online marketplaces, it’s still important to remember what can or cannot be sold to avoid disapproval. Selling these items can result in punishment, including suspending your shop/account. For more information, be sure to look at Facebook’s Policy Center.
Setting Up Your Shop
Facebook makes it easy to create a profile and customize your shop. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to get started selling your products:
- Create a Facebook Account and a Facebook Business Page.
If you already have an account, you can ignore this step. To create a Facebook account, go to facebook.com and follow the sign-up instructions.
- Create a Facebook Shop.
Log into your account and navigate to the Business Page. Click on More > Edit Tabs. From here, scroll down to Shop and toggle it on. You can also edit your tabs and templates within this menu.
- Edit the Shop Page.
Once you enter the Shop page, a pop-up will appear with further instructions. Select “Go to Commerce Manager”: this will bring you to Facebook Commerce Manager where you can continue the setup.
- Connect with Instagram and other eCommerce Platforms.
You can link your Instagram and other eligible shops to your Facebook page. This is available in Commerce Manager under “Sync a Partner Platform” in the right-hand corner.
- Choose Payment and Checkout Methods.
Currently, there are three checkout methods available: users can be sent to your own, separate platform in an off-site checkout; you can set up payment processing through WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger; you can opt-in for Facebook Checkout. Unlike the other three, Facebook Checkout takes a 5% selling fee or 40 cents on products less than $8.
- Choose the Business Page you want to sell from.
After choosing a checkout method, you will be prompted to choose a Business Page that you are selling from.
- Create or select a Meta Business Manager Account.
Here you can choose (or create, if you don't have one) your Meta Business Manager Account. You can customize your business and tax information in this section.
- Create a catalog.
This will be where you list your initial set of products that will appear on your page.
- Select shipping methods.
You have three options for shipping - standard, expedited, or rushed. Choose one of these options and fill in the boxes concerning cost, delivery days, cart minimums, etc.
- Review details and agreements.
Finally, all that’s left to do is review and accept the Facebook Seller Agreement. Make sure to double-check this document to ensure that you have complied with all Commerce guidelines.
After completing the initial setup, you can add more items and catalogs to your shop in Commerce Manager. Here, you can create collections, list products, and update any item details. After you’ve listed your items, you can focus on customizing your shop and business profile to better suit your brand’s needs before publishing to the platform.
It’s important to participate in new social media marketing techniques to stay competitive. Thankfully, companies like Facebook are becoming increasingly efficient at creating seller-friendly platforms. There’s no feasible reason to avoid this corner of the market - and the sooner you set up your shop, the sooner you can begin selling!
Need a social media strategy? Contact Ranalli Marketing for a free 30-minute consult at info@ranallimarketing.com.
Sources: Facebook Policy Centers - Commerce