With the rapid shift towards digitalization, social media has become a crucial channel for businesses to connect with their customers. Hence, businesses have been utilizing Instagram in their marketing strategy and therefore, Instagram, is leading the charge by constantly introducing new features to enhance its platform's business-friendliness.
One such feature is product tagging, which allows businesses to tag products in their posts, making it easier for users to learn more about the product and purchase it directly on the platform. However, Instagram is taking things even further with its new Instagram Chat Payments Feature, which allows businesses to accept payments through direct messages.
This is a game-changer for businesses as it streamlines the buying process, making it more convenient for users to make purchases directly on the platform, ultimately leading to higher sales and improved customer satisfaction.
So, in this article, we'll dive deeper into the Payments on Instagram feature, how it works, and why it matters to businesses as well as customers.
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Contents
Understanding The Instagram’s Payment in Chat Feature
What Does Payments in Chat mean?
Payments in Chat is a brand-new feature on Instagram that, as the name suggests, enables businesses to make payment requests and accept payments without leaving the app itself. As of right now, the functionality, which has been accessible since September 2022, is only available to qualified sellers who are logged in with a Professional Account.
This technology allows sellers to send payment requests to clients using Direct Messages, which makes it much simpler to collect money and conclude sales transactions.
Customers will also be able to pay for their purchases without having to go between various apps, which will make their shopping experience more streamlined.
How Does Instagram's New Payments Feature Work?
When conversing with a certified small company on Instagram, you can now make purchases without leaving the conversation.
For example, if you want to buy a bag, all you have to do is send a message to the company about the one you want. You can then discuss customizations, such as adding your initials, and place your order straight in the chat.
You'll be able to track your order and ask the company for any follow-up inquiries in the same chat thread. Finally, Meta Pay will be available for purchase, making checkout even faster with just a few clicks. You can also shop with confidence because your payments are processed safely and your purchases are protected.
As an innovative user, you'll also be pleased to know that you have the ability to view all the pertinent details of your transaction. This includes the exact date and time the request was made, as well as when you sent the payment.
In addition, Instagram provides the convenience of monitoring essential details like the shipping address, payment ID, and dispatch date of your product.
This creates a streamlined experience for both businesses and their customers when buying and selling directly on Instagram.
Tutorial on Using the Chat Payments Feature
How to Use Instagram’s Chat Payments Feature
- For instant payment, click the "Get paid in chat" option on your business control panel.
- After that, select "Get started" to begin integrating Instagram payments into your conversation.
- Following this, click on "Next" to continue, and then begin entering information about your company. (You will be required to select your country, your type of business, and your merchant category.)
- After which, select "Next" to continue with the process of enabling Payments in Chat for your Instagram business account.
And you'll soon be able to utilize your Direct Messages for the purpose of initiating payment requests as well as receiving payments.
IG Chat Payment Feature For Businesses
In addition to this, you can access the "$" symbol at the bottom of the chat window by going to any customer message and tapping on it. In case you haven't enabled this option before, you'll be asked to provide information about your bank account when setting up this feature. This bank account is where the payments will be deposited whenever someone makes a payment to you.
And, if someone contacts you through the chat to inquire about purchasing a product, you also have the option of quickly sending them a request for payment from within the conversation.
You are required to mention the product value in addition to a detailed description when you make a request for payment. After the client has received the payment link, all they need to do to finish their transaction with Meta Pay is click on the link.
BONUS TIP: You could even provide them with the option of paying with a debit or credit card, or even with PayPal.
Having payments and customer communications in one place simplifies managing customer interactions. Customers can quickly ask follow-up inquiries or obtain further information about a product before purchasing it.
This allows firms to quickly keep track of what information they've supplied to each consumer and any issues the customer may have had. So, even if they contact you later, you can immediately go back to the earlier conversations to deliver a satisfactory and relevant response.
So, let's dig a little deeper to see how much this new Instagram feature means to businesses and consumers in the long term.
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What Businesses Can Expect from the Payments in Chat Feature?
Shorter Purchasing Process
The buyer's purchase journey is drastically shortened by the Payments in Chat functionality. They no longer need to go through a number of processes to finalize their transaction if they locate something on Instagram that they want to buy. They won't need to go to your website, search for the item they want, and then pay. On the platform, however, everything is done correctly.
Increased Success Rates in Conversions
Customers are more likely to complete their purchases if the buying process is simplified. This is due to the fact that there is a lower risk of a customer giving up on a purchase while they are in the process of switching from one app or website to another.
With the Payments in Chat function, more clients may decide to buy directly from the app, which could increase your conversion rates.
Customer Experience Is Improved Drastically
For your clients, not having to jump between several apps simplifies things and shortens their customer journey. It simplifies the purchasing procedure, which can improve their interaction with your company.
Additionally, you get immediate access to your chat history, which can help consumers who may have issues with support or after-sale inquiries by providing context. In this manner, you may immediately determine whether any errors were made on your end so that you can develop a pertinent and satisfying resolution.
Strengthened Faith Through Guaranteed Transactions
Meta Pay purchases made in the Payments in Chat feature are secure. This implies buyers can file a claim if they encounter issues such as scams, undelivered merchandise, damages, or listing inaccuracies.
Customers will have peace of mind while purchasing from your business if this option is enabled. This can boost trust and give more customers the confidence to buy from you, leading to an increase in conversions.
Improvised Purchasing
Instagram's Direct Message payments are fully transparent and may be viewed by the recipient. Information such as the payment amount, ID, request date, and payment date are all viewable. Details like the time the order was shipped to the buyer can also be recorded, streamlining the process of managing platform-based purchases.
This means you can manage your Instagram sales without having to navigate between several apps.
With the new Payments in Chat feature on Instagram Direct, businesses can streamline the selling process by receiving payments directly through their DMs. Buyers will find it easier to inquire about products, get additional information, and make purchases without leaving the platform.
If you're looking to start selling on Instagram Direct Messages or interested in purchasing items through the feature, keep reading to learn more about this convenient shopping option.
Buying and Selling on Instagram Directly
Buying on Instagram Directly
Instagram's "Buy Now" button may be a convenient way to purchase products, but it may not always suit your needs. You might prefer to gather more information about the product or shipping before making a decision. Moreover, some sellers may not offer direct checkout on Instagram.
Luckily, IG Direct offers a solution to these issues. With the ability to buy on IG Direct, you can easily get the information you need and complete your purchase without leaving the platform.
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Read on to learn how to make purchases through this convenient feature
- To buy a product through IG Direct, the first step is to tap the "Message" button on the seller's Instagram page and start a conversation about the item you want to purchase. Be sure to provide the seller with all the necessary information about the product.
- The second step involves asking any questions you may have about the product or the seller's shipping and return policies. Once you're satisfied with the information you've received, the seller will confirm your order details and send you a payment request.
- After receiving the payment request, the third step is to tap the "Pay" button and enter your payment information. You have multiple options for paying for your purchase, including Meta Pay or a third-party payment method such as a credit or debit card or PayPal.
- Upon receiving your payment, the fourth and final step is for the seller to process your order and send the item to you. If you have any further questions about your order, you can contact the seller through the same message thread. With IG Direct's streamlined purchasing process, buying products on Instagram has never been easier.
Selling on Instagram Directly
At the moment, not all Instagram accounts are able to sell products on IG Direct. Instagram is gradually introducing the feature, so you may not have access to it yet. Currently, only eligible sellers with Business or Creator accounts can sell items on IG Direct, provided that the items are in eligible categories.
If you meet the eligibility requirements to sell on IG Direct, you can use the steps outlined in the "How to Use Payments in Chat" section above to start selling your products.
However, before you can start selling, you will need to provide your legal name, email address, address, date of birth, phone number, social security number, and bank account information.
Once you begin receiving payments in IG Direct, you can monitor your payment history by following these steps:
- Go to your Instagram profile and tap on the three dashes icon in the top right-hand corner.
- Follow this by clicking "Orders and Payments" and then "Payments in Chat."
- This will display your entire chat payment history. (You can also filter the results by requested payments, canceled payments, and completed payments.)
- By selecting an individual payment, you can see additional information such as the payment status, total amount, and pay period.
Keeping track of your payment history can help you ensure that payments align with your bank account and keep you organized as you sell on IG Direct.
Summing Up
With Instagram's in-chat payment function, businesses can now receive payments directly through their Instagram Direct Messages. This makes the process of selling products on the platform even more streamlined and convenient for both the seller and the buyer.
To take full advantage of this feature, sellers should follow the steps outlined in this guide to learn how to request and receive payments.
Additionally, businesses can use the feature to close sales quickly by answering customer inquiries and providing more information about their products in real-time.
By making the most of this feature, businesses can boost their sales and improve the overall customer experience on Instagram.