Instagram will let shoppers place orders and track packages in DMs

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Shoppers in the US will be able to pay for products in messages. In the same message thread with merchants, buyers will be able to ask questions about products.

Image: Instagram

Many small businesses offer customer support via social media. Only accounts that have set up a business account on the photo sharing site will be able to make payments in messages.

The extra step of sending an invoice via other apps is eliminated with the option to request a payment directly through messages. By offering this step, along with tracking and customer service, you'll be able to find brands, browse for products, and complete purchases without ever leaving the app.

Many small businesses rely on the app for visibility, marketing, and driving sales because it has evolved into an endless shopping destination. The platform has made shopping a central part of the in-app experience, from the prominent placement of the Shop tab to product tags for average users. In order to compete with TikTok, the social media platform added e- commerce features to its short-form video product.

Evolving commerce and how businesses communicate with potential customers are areas Meta has signaled it is looking to for revenue. In an internal memo shared with Meta employees in June, the chief product officer identified business messaging as a key area to grow revenue.