The online platform Pinterest continues its transformation into a proper eCommerce website with the addition of its new Shop Tab function; completely designed to make shopping an easier process for all of its users.
For those who aren’t too knowledgeable Pinterest has progressively started to run out many new functions that allow shopping to be easier and more organic on the platform, leading to its user base giving Pinterest associated stores over 2 million pins in traffic.
New Pinterest Shopping Features
The new Shop Tab function is directly connected to the Lens Visual Search capabilities of the website. All that users must do is start a visual search as usual, either by taking a new photo or uploading one to Pinterest to begin the search. Traditionally this would bring up ideas and pins based around the item focused on the picture, based on Pinterest advanced visual scanning technology. But now users can choose Shop on the search bar, which instead will provide the user with a selection of shoppable, in-stock pins that directly lead the user to a checkout page to ensure the process is hassle free and simple for all of its users.
Shop From Pins
The new system is both an expansion of the already established Lens Visual Search function as well of the Shoppable Pin concept that has been pushed by the company. This is one of many recent additions Pinterest has made to ensure commerce becomes one of the key features in their platform, including a simplified Shopify integrations that allows stores to upload their entire catalog on Pinterest automatically, all using their Shoppable Pin system.
The Shop Tab feature and heavier focus on eCommerce during the past few months should come as no surprise, as the Covid-19 lockdowns across the globe have resulted in more people buying through the platform, which only incentivizes the company to push further into this new market. According to Pinterest themselves user engagement with their Shoppable Pins has seen an increase of 44% as a result of the global efforts made to stop the pandemic.
Shopping From Anywhere on Pinterest
In that sense the current operation of Pinterest is not that different than what a traditional shopping mall has provided for generations. It’s a way to virtually browse and view many products that might catch your interest while making sure that the catalog suits your interests. And the Lens system is a huge part of this process, every year the company sees a 3 time increase on their users’ visual based searches. Which allow the community to easily fin the products they want in the right colors and designs they want to suit their personal style. With some of the main areas which have seen an increase in search results being: At-home beauty products, home office supplies, backyard furniture searches and even grocery shopping lists, as amusing as it might sound.
At the end of the day the Shop’ Tab doesn’t necessarily add a lot that wasn’t already available on the regular Lens feature; as those searches by default also showed Shoppable Pins to the users. But it does show a clear and undeniable change in focus, the Shop’ Tab is made exclusively for eCommerce and shows that shopping is becoming one of the main trends of the platform, an important consideration to keep in mind when it comes to the website.
