The COVID-19 pandemic uprooted many aspects of the music ecosystem and accelerated the industry’s embrace of the internet as a cornerstone retail channel. But this period of isolation left a gap in the connections between fans and their favorite artists and laid bare the challenges of online retail — fragmented ecosystems, difficult integrations and complicated adaptation.
That’s why today we’re announcing a collaboration with Instagram that brings the seamless shopping experience of Instagram Checkout to 4,300 artists and the millions of fans that love them.
As of today, over 4,300 artists can add any of 50,000 products to their Instagram feed, stories, and video posts including Reels and Live by simply adding a product tag.
“The past year has been so challenging for the music industry and we hope that together with Merchbar, we can make it easier for artists to use Instagram to connect with their fans and support themselves with our shopping tools,” said Perry Bashkoff, Director, Music Partnerships at Instagram.
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“Instagram brings artists and fans together in a totally unique and personal way. We’re thrilled to add another dimension to that connection with the integration of the tactile, physical goods fans treasure so much. This is one of those rare moments that is a win for the entire ecosystem, and we’re excited to enable these functionalities for artists and their supporting companies while providing fans a terrific experience for discovering and buying artist products,” said Edward Aten, CEO of Merchbar.
Instagram and Merchbar are committed to delivering a fantastic customer experience, including consistent fulfillment schedules. To this end, all products included in Merchbar’s Instagram integration are required to meet both Instagram’s shipping policies and Merchbar’s Merchbar Gold standards.
“We’re working with our suppliers to improve their logistical timelines, while enhancing our own operations, manufacturing and fulfillment. We’re working with Instagram to expand product eligibility and requirements to match the unique needs of the music industry,” said Edward Aten, CEO of Merchbar.
“At the same time, we’re working to create new ways for artists to join Merchbar, sell on Instagram and improve their ability to deliver great products and a fantastic experience to their fans.”
Behind the scenes, Merchbar’s platform, exclusive partnerships and existing integrations seamlessly power this functionality. Products represent a rich mix provided by the world’s top labels and merch companies, Merchbar’s own manufacturing and fulfillment network, as well as hundreds of independent artists and merch operations.
Instagram shopping features are available for all suppliers and products that meet eligibility requirements. The activation process is frictionless: product availability, payments, returns and all other details are managed through Merchbar’s partnerships, streamlining both onboarding and transparent financial reconciliations.
We’re continuing to add more products and create new ways for creators to join Merchbar and shopping on Instagram. For more information on how to join Merchbar, enable shopping on Instagram or other artist support issues please see the links below.
Instagram shopping features enabled via Merchbar
Product Tags
Product tags allow musicians, labels & creators to highlight products from their catalog across content in feed, stories, Reels, IGTV, and Live, so people can learn more and make a purchase. U.S. musicians, labels & creators using checkout on Instagram can also highlight products in post captions and in their bios with Product Mentions.
Shops on Instagram
Easily set up a digital storefront on your Instagram profile showcasing products available for purchase including customizable collections. (Coming soon.)
Live Shopping
A new channel for musicians, labels & creators to sell products through their Instagram Live and form deeper connections with people in real-time.
Ads With Product Tags
Allows musicians, labels & creators to maximize the reach of products by boosting shoppable posts or creating the ad from scratch in Ads Manager for more creative flexibility.
Checkout On Instagram
Checkout on Instagram allows musicians, labels & creators in the U.S. to sell their products directly on Instagram. Fans can purchase products that they discover securely and seamlessly using Facebook Pay, without leaving the app.
Product Launches
A way for musicians, labels & creators to announce an upcoming product launch on Instagram so people can preview details and set reminders to buy as soon as it’s available.
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