It’s Time to Unsubscribe From Your Favorite Brands on Instagram
On this week Instagram launched Checkout in Instagram , which allows users to purchase products without leaving the app (before users can click on the product and redirected to the merchant’s website to complete the purchase). In other words, it’s all too easy to spontaneously buy a new sweater or a pair of heels on Instagram. Therefore, if you are trying to cut down on discretionary spending, there are several steps you should take.
Instagram explained how this process works in a press release :
When you click to view a product from a brand shopping post, you will see a “Checkout on Instagram” button on the product page. Tap it to choose from a variety of options, such as size or color, and then proceed to checkout without leaving Instagram. You will only need to enter your name, email address, billing information and shipping address when you pay for the first time.
Once your first order is completed, your information will be securely stored for your convenience on future purchases. You will also receive shipping and shipping notifications right on Instagram so you can track your purchase.
Checkout is currently in beta testing, but other brands offering it include Adidas, Balmain, Burberry, Dior, H&M, Kiley Cosmetics, NARS, Nike, Outdoor Voices, Warby Parker and Zara.
Obviously, app brands and partners are hoping that this will make the shopping experience so smooth that you will want to buy more items. And Kara Kutruzzula explains how easy it is for Money.com. “For the sake of research, I tried Instagram Checkout,” she writes. “After 10 seconds on Instagram H&M I saw a shirt that I liked, flipped through and bought it for $ 17.99. The whole process took 30 seconds. “
As she notes, your second purchase will be even faster because you don’t have to enter billing information. “It’s very easy to buy things on Instagram,” she writes.
So how do you avoid the temptation to make a purchase during the late night Scroll Festival or after a few glasses of wine?
Unsubscribe from your favorite brands
One way is to unsubscribe from all brands that currently offer in-app Checkout, just like you would unsubscribe from merchant emails or not go to the mall in person. You don’t want the temptation to be presented directly to you.
As Kutruzzula explains, it works at the second level. For example, if you see a shirt you like and click on it but don’t buy it, it will still follow you online. “We’re especially prone to buying products that follow us and linger,” she writes. “This is the reason why brands pay for the infamous ads that continue to appear on the Internet after you look at the product once. The eerie becomes familiar and then becomes the next package thrown at your doorstep. “
But with brands unfollowing, it becomes much more difficult to see their products and navigate to their pages.
Save groceries for later
Another option is to save the products for review at a later date using Instagram’s bookmarking feature. I use it personally: I have several different saved albums that I use for inspiration and one for “products.” When I browse the album later, I usually find that I am not tempted to buy the thing that I have kept. By curbing the impulse to buy in the moment, you can completely prevent unnecessary purchases.
Of course, Checkout makes it easy to save items to the merchant page. When you click on a product, scroll down and you will see other options that you can save for future reference.
And by the way: if you make an impulse purchase, you can cancel it on Instagram within 30 minutes, according to Instagram .
To cancel an order:
- Go to your orders .
- Click on the order you want to cancel.
- Scroll down and tap Cancel .
- Select a reason and click ” Cancel Order” .
“If you love Instagram, limit your scrolling to cute animal photos and margaritas on the beach,” Kutruzzula writes. “Because it’s probably only a matter of time before you can buy them with a click.”