Every day the number of people who prefer Internet purchases grows, even more so with the proliferation of Covid-19 that forces confinement. This forces all businesses to migrate to online stores and Facebook, offers an alternative for small businesses. This article intends to show you the main advantages and disadvantages of Facebook Shops.
In these times of confinement, in which remote working, online classes and e-commerce have grown, there is good news: the creation of Facebook Shops. The year 2020 has undoubtedly been a time that will mark the change in consumer habits and we must all adapt.
The difference with Marketplace, the Facebook digital market where everyone can sell, is that Facebook Shopping is aimed at stores. It is a tool that comes to facilitate the realization of e-commerce, especially for small merchants. Its implementation began on May 19 in the United States and will gradually expand to the rest of the world.
The first information released indicated that it is a free and easy-to-use tool. Its use is similar to that of a Facebook page and it allows the personalization of images, colors and cover. However, like all tools found on the Internet, it has its pros and cons. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of Facebook Shopping:
Facebook Shops emerged with the intention of supporting small businesses, as a way to migrate to the online world. Thanks to Facebook Shops, users can make their purchases within the application, everything will be centralized in one place. Below I will list the main advantages offered by the Facebook Shops platform:
- Large volume of potential customers Facebook is a social network that has about 2.5 billion users, by 2020, which makes it very attractive for sales. Not to mention that the platform will be integrated with Instagram and WhatsApp.
- Presence in social networks Through this tool you can market your products through Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. This high presence in the main social networks expands your chances of success.
- Precise location of niches Access to your online store will be from your brand's Facebook page and the products will be offered in a fully customizable digital catalog. This will give you the ability to promote your merchandise through stories and advertisements, which you can directly segment your target audience.
- Customer service via chat
Any assistance your customers need can be attended via chat, either by WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram Direct Message. This is a direct and efficient way to serve your customers.
Despite all the advantages that the new Facebook online store offers you, you should take into account some disadvantages when using the platform. Everything is based mainly on being working from an application that is not directly related to your brand. But to make it clearer, I will detail them below: - Non-brand platform Working from a platform that is not under your domain makes it impossible for you to develop certain marketing strategies. This includes the image, graphic identity and even the content plan you want to develop. - Promotion costs Facebook banner ads are very effective but they are paid. In addition, they are a fundamental part of the success of your business, for instance, without advertising it is very difficult to succeed. - It does not help the positioning of the brand on the Internet Being within a foreign platform prevents you from positioning your brand within Internet search engines.
There is no doubt that one of the main advantages of this platform is the interconnection with the different social networks. On the other hand, the disadvantages are marked by the fact of not having control of your brand, being in an application that is not your property. But with all this clear, you can consider whether or not to use Facebook Shops to host your online store. At Century Digital Marketing we create personalized strategies for your business including all the tools to make it successful. Let us know if you would like to set up a meeting with us to discuss your digital strategy!
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