How to Get Approved for Shopping on Instagram

5 min read

If you’ve recently applied for Instagram Shopping, we’re here to walk you through some of the roadblocks you may have encountered. And uncover a few ways you can get that highly-coveted approval.

By the end of this post, we’ll answer your top questions on how you can be approved for shopping on Instagram.

How Do I Get Approved for Shopping on Instagram?

Please note that on April 27, 2023, Meta announced changes to Facebook and Instagram Shops across different regions. See how your Shops on Facebook and Instagram experience may be affected in the Meta Business Help Center.

The first step in ensuring you are approved for shopping on Instagram — make sure you have an e-commerce store.

Instagram Shoppable posts are only available for those who have an e-commerce platform that integrates with Instagram. So, though you absolutely can sell on Instagram without a website, you should consider creating one if you want your Instagram business to grow faster.

If you don’t want to invest too much time and money into a website and need an easy and fast online presence to connect Shoppable Posts, consider Ecwid’s Instant Site. The robust and easy-to-use site builder enables any merchant regardless of their technical skills to create an online store and connect it to Instagram (as well as Facebook, Amazon, eBay, Google Shopping, and more!).

The second step — your account needs to be registered as a business profile. Unfortunately, you will lose previous promotions, insights and data related to that account. If you’re ready to make the switch, check out how to create a business profile account.

Learn more: How to Sell on Instagram: Complete Guide for Beginners

How Long Does It Take Instagram to Approve Shopping?

Now that you’ve submitted your request, it can take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks before you are approved. If you still are waiting for approval, consider reaching out to Facebook directly for an update.

As soon as your account is approved, you’ll receive a notification in your Instagram app that you can turn on the product tagging feature in your Instagram account. Once you’re approved, check out our instructions to get started.

Why Is My Instagram Not Approved for Shopping?

If your account was not approved for Instagram Shopping, try checking a few key details.

Downloading the latest version of Instagram
Setup a Business Profile (Personal Profiles will not be approved)
Uploading product catalog via Facebook
Actively selling physical goods (no services)

The Facebook Product Catalog Generator helps you submit your products to Facebook. It generates the product feed from your store catalog and submits it to Facebook.

A successfully uploaded product feed in Facebook Business Manager

Unfortunately, without a product catalog you are not eligible for Instagram Shopping. It’s why we recommend using Ecwid E-commerce, to ensure you are approved for shopping on Instagram.

What to Do If You Are Not Approved for Instagram? Can I Reapply?

If your account was not eligible for Instagram shopping, that doesn’t mean you can’t reapply. Because of the strict requirements, it may take several attempts.

A great next step if your account was not approved for Instagram Shopping — check out this troubleshooting video from Ecwid Expert, Daniella! Don’t be discouraged if you are denied for Instagram shopping. The good news, you can reapply as many times as you want!

What’s Next?

Need a product catalog? With an Ecwid E-commerce store, you can set up a product catalog to connect to Instagram. You’ll be on your way to your first sale with Instagram Shopping!