Instagram moves into e-commerce with shopping button

Facebook-owned Instagram on Tuesday made a move into potentially lucrative e-commerce by adding an option to buy products shown off in posts by selected brands.

A new “checkout” button for instant purchasing launched in a beta version of the app in the US with a limited number of businesses, according to the popular image-centric messaging service.

“We’re introducing Checkout on Instagram,” the Silicon Valley-based division of Facebook said in an online post.

“When you find a product you love, you can now buy it without leaving the app.”

Tapping the checkout button will allow shoppers to select options such as size or colour and then pay for items without leaving the Instagram app.