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Instagram Introduces New Shopping Features

The Facebook-owned social media site just launched three new retail-focused features: the ability to shop from brand videos in your feed, save items to a new Shopping collection, and quickly view all the featured products in a brand's shopping posts.

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Just in time for the holiday shopping season, Instagram is making it easier to keep track of and buy items that catch your eye as you scroll.

On Thursday, the Facebook-owned social media site launched three new retail-focused features: the ability to shop from brand videos in your feed, save items to a new Shopping collection, and quickly view all the featured products in a brand's shopping posts.

The next time you're scrolling through your feed and spot a cute crop top or pair of leggings in a video from a brand you follow, just tap the new shopping icon in the bottom left corner to see the featured products and how much they cost. You can then click through to learn more and buy the item, if you like.

Meanwhile, if you find something you might want to buy in the future, just save it to your new Shopping collection while you mull it over, so you won't have to go hunting for it later. Just tap the product tag in Stores or Feed, then press Save to add the item to your Shopping collection.

"Just like existing collections, you can access your Shopping collection from your profile," Instagram wrote in a blog post. "It's an easy way to keep your wish list up-to-date and store creative gift ideas for the holidays."

Finally, Instagram redesigned the Shop tab on business profiles to make it easier to browse everything a brand is selling. When you find a brand you love, just visit their profile and tap the "Shop" button to see all their products in one place. Here, you'll see the name of each item, its price, and the post in which it's featured.

"Whether you're treating yourself or shopping for loved ones, these updates unlock new ways to discover and connect with the brands and products that inspire you," Instagram wrote.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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