Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, has announced that it will require all new Shops to have checkout on Facebook and Instagram enabled. This move is part of Meta’s efforts to build a seamless shopping experience for users and help businesses grow. The new policy means that businesses that direct customers to an e-commerce site to complete a purchase will no longer be accessible. Shops that link to a website will still be supported until April 24, 2024, to ease the transition.

Beginning on August 10, 2023, markets that do not support checkout-enabled Shops on Facebook and Instagram will no longer be able to use product tagging in posts or host a Shop on their Facebook or Instagram page. Businesses located in 21 international markets, including Australia, Canada, Germany, India, and the U.K., will still be able to use Facebook and Instagram shops without checkout enabled until further notice.

Meta is also phasing out some old features in its Pages experience, including the ability to manage and post a catalog or product details page from a Facebook Page. However, businesses will still be able to post links to their website.

The change indicates that Meta is doubling down on its checkout experience and focusing on being the sole checkout provider for Shops on Instagram and Facebook. Businesses without checkout-enabled Shops on Facebook and Instagram will no longer be able to use features associated with Shops, including organic product tagging in posts and creating new custom/lookalike audiences derived from people who visited a Shop.

Meta’s decision to phase out onboarding of new Shops without checkout on Facebook and Instagram enabled is part of its efforts to build a seamless shopping experience for users and help businesses grow. While the change may present some challenges for businesses, Meta is offering support to ease the transition.