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Why Digital Brands Are Lukewarm on Social Commerce

Instagram will soon scale back its commerce efforts. Some merchants say they’re not surprised, as the platform’s shopping features were missing key features needed to complete the sale.
Social commerce, a shopping tool popular in Asia, has struggled to take off in the US to the frustration of many digitally native brands.
Social commerce, a shopping tool popular in Asia, has struggled to take off in the US to the frustration of many digitally native brands. (Getty Images)

Chris Galasso and Michael Sard saw little risk in adding Instagram’s in-app checkout feature to Tombolo’s shop on the social platform’s app back in May. But they soon discovered there was also little return.

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Further Reading

Finding Fashion Consumers Beyond Instagram

Once considered fringe, platforms like Reddit, Discord and Twitch are attracting the attention of digital marketers aiming to diversify their channel mix away from Instagram.

About the author
Malique Morris
Malique Morris

Malique Morris is Senior E-Commerce Correspondent at The Business of Fashion. He is based in New York and covers digital-native brands and shifts in the online shopping industry.

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