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Instagram rolling out ability to link a credit card and buy things inside the app

Screen capture: TechCrunch

After recently adding a video chat function, parent company Facebook continues with Instagram's transformation from a mobile image sharing platform into a do-it-all application by adding the ability to pay for things within the app. The company has confirmed to TechCrunch that the native in-app payments feature is currently being rolled out to a limited number of users who will be able to make purchases from within the app.

Setup requires the registration of a debit or credit card and a security pin. Once that's in place, you can book appointments and pay at restaurants, hair salons and similar establishments using the photo sharing app. In the future, users will also be able to purchase movie tickets and comparable items.

Screen capture: TechCrunch

The feature could potentially make a nice combination with Instagram's shopping tags, which were introduced in 2016 and open a retailer website if you tap on a photo of a product. It's not too difficult to see Instagram's native payments being used for this kind of retail transaction as well. We're intrigued by the possibilities for photographers: say, buying prints or photography services right from inside the app.

There's no word on when the feature will be made available to more Instagram users, but given payments is a complex topic with all sorts of local rules and regulations, we'd expect availability of the function in your app will to a large degree depend on location.

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Sevan
Sevan

Kinda feels like instagram is becoming facebook? Yeah with the recent facebook scandal I am not too sure I would want to use instagram with my CC to buy stuff. More convenience, more chances of damn data leaks. We've seen too much lately already.

May 10, 2018
brightncheerful

“Once that's in place, you can book appointments and pay at restaurants, hair salons and similar establishments using the photo sharing app. "

I can book appointments without needing to pay in advance.

May 7, 2018
CaPi

To quote the vergecast: They are turning it into facebook.

May 6, 2018
tabloid

Every time a person takes their mobile out to do something with it...the greater the chance of loosing it. A cab driver (UK) told me the other day that he finds about 3 mobile phones in the back of his cab each day.

May 6, 2018
pfzt

I love Instagram but it's starting to p*ss me off with this greedy little stuff that has Facebook/Zuckerberg/Stock Market/Analyst written all over it.

May 5, 2018
KrisAK

I'm happy to click through a blogger's site to buy a lens, and give the referrer a kickback of some sort; but I'd never give the blogger access to my credit card information. Likewise, I can see clicking through an image to a retailer's website, and making a purchase there. But again, why would I even THINK of doing that directly from IG?

Maybe FB is trying to create a new behavior...one that encourages users to behave somewhat irresponsibly with their CC info.

May 5, 2018
John Jennings
John Jennings

Wouldn’t this increase the chances of fraud on instagram?

May 5, 2018
Nicolaso
Nicolaso

Can I pay for less useless sponsored ads that spam my timeline?

May 5, 2018
jonathanj
jonathanj

"Once that's in place, you can book appointments and pay at restaurants, hair salons and similar establishments using the photo sharing app. "

yeah, because when I need a haircut the first thing I think of is a photo sharing app....

I really don't get the logic, if Facebook want to introduce a mobile payment platform, fine, but why link it to instagram?!

May 5, 2018
probert500

What could possibly go wrong...LOL effing Z

May 5, 2018
silentstorm

This could only means more data mining from IG/FB & shove you more unwanted ads.

Takes 2 hands to clap. Willing data giver & willing data exploiter. Just don't go crying to mommy when things go south.

May 5, 2018
sh10453
sh10453

This is all that was missing from our submissions to Facebook. So now they want the final piece of the puzzle, your credit card info.
Sure, I'm going to buy plain Jane's photo of her toddler playing in the mud. Where else could I ever find that!!!

May 5, 2018
ikfoto

"a nice combination"?! FB has already annoyed me with unwanted posts so much I think of quitting. And now they are about to ruin IG.

May 5, 2018
Clyde Thomas

Why all the negativity about new options?

Is this not great for those who find it useful?

Could this negatively affect those who opt out?

May 4, 2018
(unknown member)

Clyde, think this through. How many ways could this possibly go wrong? Is this proof to marketers of your buying habits? Think your logon credentials will really be hack-safe? Think it might induce people to buy extra crap in their lives that they could do without? And then they will complain that they can never save or get ahead.

May 5, 2018
Clyde Thomas

I appreciate your opinion. But it didn't answer my questions.

Is this not great for those who find it useful?

Could this negatively affect those who opt out?

May 5, 2018*
definedphotography

I'd like the option to have a chronological feed (like it used to be) rather than more commercialism.

May 8, 2018
AaronsLyfe
AaronsLyfe

Not that IG wasn't scamy and over commercialized enough in it's current state but now they add this idea?? All this new technology is going to push photographers further from this

May 4, 2018
sirhawkeye64

No way in heck am I doing this. Granted it's an option. Heck, I hate even storing my credit card with reputable companies like B&H or other online retailers. Not to mention, Instagram will be even more of an advertising platform. Time to find something else I guess... Maybe back to Flickr now that Smugmug owns them...

May 4, 2018
kociasek

Would you order prints of photos after seeing their tiny thumbnails on a smartphone?

May 4, 2018
RedFox88

You need a bigger phone if pics on it are tiny thumbnails

May 4, 2018
kociasek

@RedFox88
Can you recommend any 24 inch phones? That would be big enough to assess print-worthiness of a photo.
And yes, on InstaCrap, which doesn't auto-rotate images, horizontal photos look tiny even on phablets.

May 6, 2018*
mixem227

Oh good grief...

There's already enough people out there demanding a mulligan because "I didn't say that....my account must have been hacked."

The consequences for stupidity will reach another level when this new feature rolls out.

May 4, 2018
Chris Dodkin
Chris Dodkin

Remember Instagram when it was useful?

May 4, 2018
tailings
tailings

Actually, no. Instagram has always seemed a bit of a lark to me. BUT, that's OK because at least the delivery was clean and uncluttered. I do fear opening the floodgates of (official) commerce onto Instagram will take away the relative simplicity of the platform. Instagram is about to get very, very noisy.

Now that Facebook has jumped the shark and Instagram is being driven in the same direction, any guesses as to the next social network revolution?

May 4, 2018
knappe duivel
knappe duivel

This is great news! Yet another opportunity to link a credit card and buy stuff. What a wonderfull world we live in.

May 4, 2018
littlestephy0925

Yep! Everything around us is pretty much like that.m: subscription based services (Norton, Adobe), mobile gaming (free to pay but many in-game purchases) and online shopping.

When I was in China early this year, some local stores didn't even want to take "cash" as they prefer Alipay (Chinese version of Apple Pay). Pretty fast changing word we live in :\

May 4, 2018
smrlabs

The place to go for all your PVC legging needs.

"You're on instagram?"
"Uh, yeah."
"What name?"
"No way in hell are you seeing my favorites list."

May 4, 2018
(unknown member)

Instagram is a place for everyone and everything. Including the bad. If you stay in your lane of interest it can truly be a great source for inspiration. Tons of artist creating beautiful photography and everything in between. I've bought a few signed original photographs and other hand painted artworks on the site. I would certainly prefer Instagram handling my purchase information rather than some random site.

May 4, 2018
NG Resonance

How much does Instagram pay you to post this drivel?

May 4, 2018
(unknown member)

It pays enough value to randomly drivel obviously

May 4, 2018
liquidsquid

Call me old school or a Luddite, but I will not store my CC number on any service or save CC info on my phone. Just so many things outside of the ability to be secured or controlled,. Sure it is convenient for me to charge things on a whim, but it sure is convenient for a thief too.

May 4, 2018
Mariano Pacifico

Chuckle! Chuckle! Chortle! I still charge the old fashion way swipe-&-insert card.

If I lose my phone I lose everything !

May 4, 2018*
Lars Rehm
Lars Rehm

You are old school :)

May 4, 2018
Elljustin

Liquidsquid, how do you know it's convenient for a thief to steal your stuff? That assumption isn't really grounded in anything. CyberSecurity is better than it's ever been.

May 4, 2018
AK_hiker
AK_hiker

Yep, Equifax proved that.😉

May 4, 2018
liquidsquid

Yup, Equifax and Spectre and... we have had new cards issued to us at least 4 times now for various hacks. Thanks Target and Home Depot!

Ironically and timed well, my wife's CC just got hacked by a "Brooklyn car wash" and here card was alerted a mere 1 hour ago. Just got back from the bank. No, she does not store her CC info on her phone. Yes, the bank was great for getting it resolved.

May 4, 2018
Mariano Pacifico

There are biometric securities: Iris scan, finger print and voice recognition. And do not forget old-school password

Iris scan & voice recognition I found are loony considering I use my smartcam frequently. Password is inconvenient. Finger print recognition works fine with me since I am using Samsung Galaxy S8 its biometric is at the back and my pointing finger falls right where it should be. Finger print recognition in front requires two-handed operation.

Regardless, I still prefer the old-fashion way: Swipe or Insert.

If only they can move the thumb print recognition on the sides would work. I am right-handed, so, thumb print recognition should be on the right side of the device. What if you are left-handed?

May 4, 2018*
Astro Landscapes
Astro Landscapes

I'm sure this will largely be used to sell pointless, over-priced "influencer merch", (ugh) ...but if photographers could use it to sell eBooks of their latest big adventure, or tutorial, or similar products, that'd be a great way to easily support artists, and I'd spend a bit for sure.

May 4, 2018
RedFox88

People viewing pics on a phone aren't interested in prints or paying to see more digital pics

May 4, 2018
Astro Landscapes
Astro Landscapes

Yes, keep thinking that, more $$$ for others.

May 5, 2018
Brian P Smith

I'd give this three thumbs down if I could...

May 4, 2018