Facebook is officially shutting down the Live Shopping feature on Oct. 1 and says it’s part of the company’s initiative to shift its focus to Reels. “As consumers’ viewing behaviors are shifting to short-form video, we are shifting our focus to Reels on Facebook and Instagram, Meta’s short-form video product,” Facebook explains. However, the option will still be available on Instagram.
Live Shopping was first launched in 2018 in Thailand and opened another revenue stream for creators on Facebook. Through it, influencers hold Live Shopping sessions in which they showcase and sell various products.
The closure of the service also demonstrates Facebook’s growing commitment to Reels, which it officially introduced to the platform last year. Facebook is even considering making its algorithm more like TikTok, which its parent company Meta has already done with Instagram. Like Facebook, Instagram is heavily promoting short-form content, with all videos on the platform now becoming Reels.
The focus on Reels has caused concern among longtime Instagram users, who are used to the app as a way to share photos with friends. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri was met with outrage after explicitly telling users that the platform would become video-centric, forcing Instagram to drop some changes.
