What is Snapchat Native Checkout?
This summer, Snapchat announced a new native checkout feature in the app. On June 6, Snapchat rolled out the native checkout to the official accounts of five influencers (and their brands):
- Kylie Jenner (Kylie Cosmetics)
- Kim Kardashian West (KKW Beauty)
- Shay Mitchell (Beís)
- Spencer Pratt (Pratt Daddy Crystals)
- Bhad Bhabie (BHAD Goods)
What is Snapchat native checkout?
The new Snapchat native checkout feature lets users buy products directly within the app. Previously, creators could only attach products to individual snaps. Snapchat allowed certain influencers, publishers, and brands to add a swipe-up feature to their snaps. (In February 2018, Snap also launched an in-app Shopify store with Snapchat- and Bitmoji-themed items.)
The new native checkout tool takes the experience one step further: Select accounts can now create a store — powered by Shopify — within Snapchat.
These influencers have the new Shop button on their Snapchat profiles. The Shop button allows users to access the shops in the Snapchat app by going to an influencers’ profile page.
According to Snap, Inc, the native checkout feature is currently limited to U.S. users due to international privacy and data requirements.
To protect users’ data and privacy, Shopify store owners — even the celebrity influencer accounts — cannot retarget Snapchat users who abandon their carts within the app. Snapchat will only sends a user’s phone number and email address to a brand if the user completes a purchase.
During this test, the influencers keep all revenue from sales within the app. Snapchat’s intent seems to be to keep top influencers invested in Snapchat as a sales channel by giving them more opportunities to generate revenue from the platform. (Snapchat doesn’t share ad revenue with creators unless they have their own Snapchat show, like “Ask Kylie” by Kylie Jenner or “Bringing Up Bhabie” by Bad Bhabie.)
Snap plans to expand their native checkout program and release the tool to more official influencers, brands, and publishers moving forward, including Khloe Kardashian (Good American) and Rob Kardashian (Arthur George).
These updates come on the heels of Instagram’s new native checkout feature, which the platform rolled out to 50 creators and 5 publishers earlier in 2019, as well as branded content ads. Instagram’s beta program lets users shop, check out and manage orders all within the app.
Snapchat needs to keep up with Instagram’s ecommerce features and create enough momentum within the influencer community to be successful with the native checkout feature.
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