Lately we’ve been seeing more and more companies use Instagram to sell their inventory. In what used to be reserved for Etsy shops + brick and mortar storefronts is no longer! Instagram isn’t just a marketing tool for many businesses anymore — it’s a new kind of virtual storefront. Curious how you can utilize it? 

We’ve seen two great models appear:

1. IG Story Selling

Using this method you pop photos of the items you’d like to sell in an Instagram Story and include any pertinent details along with (of course) the price of the product. Our hot tip? Remember to include a slide at the very beginning that details: 

• If price includes shipping and if so, if there’s another price point for international orders. 
• When orders can be expected to ship.
• How to claim the item – for many folks it’s the first person that sends their PayPal email along. The customer who has the first response then has 24 hours to purchase before the next person “in line” gets the product. 

2. Pop-Up Shops

Another tried and true method are pop-up shops that happen on the grid. You are able to market on social media and your newsletter that on a special date and time your team will be putting items to purchase up for sale on the grid. Like the IG Story Selling model, whoever gives their PayPal email first, gets to claim the product and if they don’t pay within a certain time frame that you mandate, the next person “in line” gets to purchase. 

Have multiple of the same item up for grabs? Amazing! Just make that known on the post so folks don’t see other emails + get discouraged from throwing their hat in the ring. 

Tell us: Have you tried selling straight from the ‘Gram before? How’d it work out? Let us know in the comments!