Contact
Share This Article
Do you want to know more about how to create your own online store on Facebook? Here, you will find all of the recommendations and requirements for getting good results.
Today, Facebook has more than 1,600 million users, many of whom are very active on the site. Logging on to this social network has become just one more daily routine for a huge percentage of the population. They don’t just “consume” content put out by their friends and family, but also that of the companies they follow or those who advertise with the specific aim of impacting upon them through their advertisements.
Parallel to the rise of social networks, we can also see an unstoppable growth in Internet sales. In fact, according to figures from the Statista portal, at a global level, e-commerce transactions will top 2,000 billion dollars. Bearing this in mind, Facebook have decided to go one step further and offer companies the opportunity to sell directly through the social network.
An online store on Facebook allows the business to convert a traditional fan page into a showcase for merchandise. Users can see your catalogue, the products you have on offer and your prices, and then make a purchase very easily. Interesting, isn’t it?
How to Create an Online Store on Facebook
Creating a store on Facebook is very simple, but first of all you will need a fan page. Do you have one? Then let’s go to it now.
- First, access the tabs menu and select “Store”.
- When you select “Store”, Facebook will ask you if you accept their Terms and Conditions for sellers. In short, you will be accepting clauses which refer to the following:
- The fact that you are putting products up for sale.
- Dealing with deliveries, returns and claims.
- Managing personal information.
- Once you have accepted them, you must enter a description for your store. Remember that you have maximum of 200 characters.
- Now, the fun starts. You can already start adding the products that you want to sell to your store. You can enter an unlimited number of products, but it will only show the last 1000.
- When you have finished the previous step, it is time to create the pages for each product. It should include an image, a description (optional), the price and the URL for making a payment. This is the link to the page where users can buy the item. Of course, the best idea would be to link them to the product’s page on your online store.
After filling in the form, you can choose if you wish this item to be highlighted or not. Keep in mind that only 10 items can be highlighted in your store. These items appear at the top of the page and at the beginning of lists of items in your store. You can choose whatever you like: the best-sellers, the most profitable, the ones you want to sell first because you have too much stock…
- Once all of the products have been uploaded, each one will have its own tab. You can organise them in categories, although within these categories, the items will be organised by date.
Recommendations and Requirements When Creating an Online Facebook Store
Images
- You have to use at least one image per product, and it must be of the product itself. We would recommend that the image shows the product in detail and in the most attractive way, because this is what will most capture people’s attention, causing potential buyers to become interested in the item.
- It is advisable that the images are square and have a resolution of 1024 x 1024 or higher.
- The product should be the focus of the picture, so it should be a close up with a white background, as this will make it stand out more. It is also a good idea to get a shot of the product being used in a real-life situation.
- It is not recommended to use text in the image; for example, a call to action, promo codes or information of a temporary nature (such as limited time only offers or discounts).
- And although it may sound obvious, it is highly unadvisable to use images which contain offensive content, such as nudity or violence.
Product Description
The description of the items in your Facebook store should be directly linked to product itself and should be easy to understand. Moreover, it is a good idea to highlight any special features of the product, such as characteristics which will attract people’s attention and which could have an influence on the purchase decision.
What should be avoided?
- HTML code in the description.
- Telephone numbers or email addresses.
- Too many exclamation points.
Product Variations
If some of your products have different versions, like a dress that comes in different colours for example, then this is not a problem. Facebook allows for various different versions of the product to be included on the same page. You can include up to 4 different versions (e.g. sizes/colours).
Advantages and Disadvantages of Creating an Online Store with Facebook
- Although we have already mentioned several advantages of selling online through Facebook, there are others which we have not mentioned yet:
- Once your store is up and running, when you post an image on your fan page, you will have the option to tag the product in your store.
- You can, of course, promote your store on Facebook by using Facebook Ads. If you would like to reach more potential clients, you can promote selected products using Facebook Ads. With the correct segmentation, you can increase both the sales of your online store and your website traffic.
- However, it must also be noted that there are certain inconveniences to keep in mind:
- If you do not sell products to the United States, Facebook will not let you complete the sale through its own platform. This is a disadvantage for users, but if it is managed well, it can be turned into a positive for the store since it can increase traffic to your website and lead acquisition.
- If you sell alcoholic drinks, you will not be able to sell them through your Facebook store. Zuckerberg’s social network prohibits these items and will eliminate them form your store automatically.
In short, the opportunity to integrate your online store with the Facebook platform is a very good idea for small and medium enterprises which are looking for more channels to boost sales.
