Facebook rolls out Facebook Shops in South Korea

This allows sellers to create their own collection and showcase their brand.

US social media giant Facebook has rolled out its latest innovation Facebook Shops, in South Korea, according to an announcement. The initiative allows sellers to choose which of their items they want to highlight, to feature merchandise with product collections, as well as tell their brand story with customisable fonts and colours.

Facebook Shops is a mobile-first shopping experience where businesses can easily create an online store on Facebook and Instagram for free, according to Facebook.

Sellers will be able to connect with customers through WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram Direct to answer questions, offer support, and more. Shoppers can browse the offerings via the brand’s Facebook page or Instagram profile, save the products they want, and place an order.

The launch in South Korea follows the launch of Facebook Shops in the US and several European countries in May. Facebook said the initiative will support small enterprises that have been affected by the pandemic.

The company is also planning to add features across its apps, such as Instagram Shop, live shopping features, and loyalty programmes to help people discover and shop.

As part of the launch, Facebook Shops is also working with local services like Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Tienda Nube, Feedonomics, and Korean e-commerce platform Cafe24.

Korea’s online shopping market competition is now expected to intensify, with Google opening its own digital commerce platform this year, Google Shopping. This is on top of local players dominating the market such as search engine giant Naver, ecommerce platforms Coupang and Gmarket, as well as shopping mall apps run by conglomerates Lotte and Shinsegae.