Blog: ecommerce

It is becoming increasingly clear that the future of the user interface looks like a TikTok feed. Companies from Meta to Spotify and Amazon have tested TikTok-like feeds that are focused on discovery, and even though Meta ended up rolling back some of its TikTok-inspired changes, its implementation of the format on Facebook and Instagram likely signals a wider shift to come.

Commerce has moved online. In this rapidly evolving space, the dynamics of which govern the fortunes of so many businesses and brands, Amazon, Walmart and Instagram are playing their hands fiercely. Their product strategies are defining the space for consumers and businesses alike.

The Verge recently reported rumours that Facebook is building a standalone Instagram app for shopping. Whilst this news is as yet unconfirmed by Instagram, it would seem a logical next step given Facebook’s recent innovations to evolve the current Instagram product into a seamless site for ecommerce.

Pressure to demonstrate the commercial viability of social media platforms, particularly for those sites not already owned by major media players, is intensifying. This is all the more resonant in an age where business models are increasingly reliant upon data and hyper-targeting.

Discussions abound in tech circles over where Facebook will go next. Much in the same way as Apple’s definitive strategy in the past two decades can be interpreted through their services embellishing the company’s hardware products, (though a slowdown in iPhone sales could potentially alter this approach) Facebook’s next chapter should be seen through the lens of ‘diversify fast’.