Instagram’s long awaited Checkout feature is finally here. Checkout will allow for quick and secure in-app purchases of material items through select retailers. Coming after multiple updates to the app that geared its users towards shopping, Instagram is finally ready to take the leap into commerce.

The Power of Influencers

In Instagram’s announcement of the new feature, they noted that users have always loved to shop in the app. With the rise in popularity of the Instagram influencer, Instagram has made the app even more shopper friendly. Until now, only the Influencers and the brands that partner with them to promote their products benefitted from user purchases. With Checkout, Instagram will finally get a cut of these deals. This will occur through the fee charged to the retailers that use the feature.

Updates to the app inspired by the growing Influencer presence on the platform include product tags in Feed, product stickers in Stories and a shopping destination in Explore. The Instagram Checkout feature marks a new era of online shopping.

What’s Next for Instagram?

The future of Instagram will be shaped by this new feature. As technology and social media platforms continue to converge, we may see Instagram following suit with Amazon or Apple. From offering a click-to-purchase feature to your very own Instagram credit card, the possibilities are endless.

Instagram’s evolution as an app since its launch in 2010 in the way that it is used and the business that it supports has given way to a growing industry of entrepreneurs. While some may wonder if the new Checkout feature is a way to cut out the middle man, but that’s not the case. The new feature will leverage the loyal users relationships with Influencers. This will draw more engagement and increase the breadth of services on the app.