Set up a Facebook or Instagram Shop in Cape Town

Ever since Facebook introduced Facebook Shops in May 2020, it has opened a new door of opportunity for small businesses in Cape Town. Of course, that means Instagram also has its own Shops platform too. In 2021, more and more people are using social media to interact with businesses these days. On Facebook alone, at least 2/3rd of Facebook’s userbase visits a local business page once a week. Now, with the shop feature, you can directly showcase your inventory on your Facebook or Instagram account. This will help your potential customers to interact, browse, and purchase your products effectively. Let us see more about how you can set up a Facebook or Instagram Shop in Cape Town.

Related: Small Businesses and Social Media | Is it really effective?

Setting up a Facebook Shop in Cape Town? It’s easy!

Step 1: Checklist

First and foremost, the most important step. Does your business comply with the following? If yes, you are good to go with your Facebook shop!

• Make sure your business is in the Supported Market. South Africa comes under Facebook’s Supported Market criteria so you don’t have to worry about this.
• Understand whether your business has a product that you can directly sell online. e.g.: food products, toys, tools, electronics. Make sure you follow Facebook’s Community Guidelines while doing so.
• Comply with Facebook’s policies: Facebook’s Terms of Service, Facebook’s Commercial Terms, and Facebook Community Standards
• Your business must have a domain and online presence.

If your business checks out with everything mentioned above, you are good to take the next step.

Step 2: Make a Business Page on Facebook

Unlike before, you do not necessarily need a Facebook business page to set up a Facebook shop. However, to display your shop, you will definitely need a business page. Furthermore, what you must need to set this up is a Facebook Business Manager account. Through your business profile, you can access the Commerce Manager where you can easily set up your shop by creating and importing a product catalogue directly from your website.

Step 3: Create a Product Catalogue

Through the Commerce manager, you can create a product catalogue that you can use to display and sell your products. You can simply add this catalogue to your business page. Make sure that you have admin permissions for both page and catalogue to do so. You can create multiple catalogues if you own multiple businesses and multiple ranges of products.

You can also import items to your Facebook catalogue from a partner platform. Check out the list of all the supported partner platforms here.

Related: About Inventory Management on Facebook

Step 4: Choose a Checkout Method

There are three checkout methods available on Facebook in total. However, in South Africa, only the direct website checkout method would work in South Africa. For this, you will need admin permissions for your page and catalogue.

Step 5: Setting up your Shop

Once you are done creating a catalogue and choosing a checkout method, you will have to add the catalogue to your business page. If you don’t have a catalogue, then the Commerce Manager will automatically create one for you. Here, you can add your products which you would want to sell through Facebook shops. After this, just take a look at your shop’s information, review everything, agree to the Seller Agreement and you are good to go.

You can also manage the catalogue anytime by adding or removing products, or by creating a collection of featured products. Facebook also offers shop customisation to make your shop feel unique or personalised to your customers.

Note: Publishing your shop takes time as Facebook takes time to review your products and collections.

Setting up a Shop on Instagram in Cape Town? You need to know This!

Instagram is owned by Facebook and the process to create a shop on Instagram also goes through Facebook’s Commerce Manager. However, there are a few things that make Instagram different. If you want to open a shop on Instagram in Cape Town, you should be aware of them.

1. Instagram Business Account

To establish a shop on Instagram, you will need an Instagram Business Account or a Creator Account. To convert to a business account, simply go to Instagram settings and click on ‘Switch to Business Profile’.

2. Connecting to your Facebook Page

To set up a shop on Instagram in Cape Town, you will be required to connect your Instagram business account to a Facebook page. You can do so in a few simple steps.

1. Go to your business’s Instagram profile
2. Select “Edit profile”.
3. Under the “Public business information” section, select “Page”
4. Choose a Facebook Page from your Pages.
5. If you don’t have a Facebook Page, select “Create a new Facebook Page”.

Note: Facebook Page Shop is not required, only a Facebook Page.

3. Connecting your Product Catalogue to Instagram Shop

You can simply connect your Facebook Shop’s catalogue to Instagram. If you do not have one, refer to Step 3 on the Facebook Shop section in this article for more information.

4. Instagram Account Review and Turning on Shopping Features.

Just like Facebook Shop, if you are setting up a shop on Instagram, you will also have to submit it for review. So, once you turn your Instagram account into a business account, you can submit it by following these simple steps:

• Go to your business’s Instagram profile and tap 
• Select “Settings”.
• Sign up for shopping
• Follow the steps to submit your account for review.
• Visit “Shopping” in your “Settings” at any time to check your status.

Once your account is approved for shopping, you can turn on the Shopping Features and start selling products through Instagram.

1. Go to your business’s Instagram profile and tap 
2. Select “Settings”.
3. Tap “Business” and then tap “Shopping”.
4. Select the “product catalogue” that you want to connect to your account.
5. Select “Done”.

Note: If you still cannot turn on the shopping feature, that means your account is under review or unapproved.

For detailed information on Instagram shopping, visit Instagram’s help center.

 

Conclusion

Setting up a shop on Facebook or Instagram in Cape Town is rather a hassle-free process. If you follow the process given in this article, you will have your own shop in no time. Start displaying and selling your products at the same place where you connect and engage with your audience. This is a great opportunity to grow your small business in Cape Town.

If you need an extra helping hand with setting up shops on either of the platforms or social media management, then Digital Lime Green is the way to go. We are a digital marketing and website design agency in Cape Town that provides cost-efficient social media management solutions for your business. Contact us today for more information!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article has been sourced entirely from Facebook and Instagram’s business help centre. We do not claim the information to be produced by us and it is presented purely for its educational value.