Instagram Shopping App Leaks As Major E-Commerce Project

Instagram is developing an e-commerce app, according to a new report, which warns the project may be cancelled before it launches. This new project reportedly includes a dedicated app that'll enable users to directly shop for goods, also providing the many businesses already on the Instagram platform with a way to sell their products.

The information comes from sources speaking to The Verge, which reports that the alleged Instagram e-commerce app may be called "IG Shopping." This wouldn't be the first standalone app the service has produced; it launched the IG TV app dedicated to videos earlier this year.

The report claims that IG Shopping is currently underway but that it could be nixed before launch. Assuming it does eventually arrive for the public, users will reportedly be able to purchase items directly within the app, an expansion of the shopping features Instagram has been teasing and testing for a couple years.

It's unclear what kind of shopping would be made available through IG Shopping — whether anyone could create their own shop, such as Etsy and eBay, or whether it will cater to established businesses like Amazon. Instagram hasn't confirmed the project.

The company's main app already provides shopping tools for certain companies, enabling them to tag images with specific products; users viewing them image can then jump straight into buying the item. How Instagram's shopping push will ultimately play out is yet to be seen.

SOURCE: The Verge