Twitter to test Shopping Reminders: Upcoming Product Drops

Twitter is testing a new shopping feature for previewing upcoming product releases. The characteristic, called Product Drops, allows brands to tease items before they go on sale, and customers can sign up to be reminded before the release through in-app notifications.

Additionally, shoppers can opt-in to receive information ahead of releases. The company shared how reminders would work in a blog post today.

When brands set up product drops, shoppers can sign up for alerts by clicking a "remind me" button. Product drop tweets act like other posts on Twitter and can be liked, retweeted, bookmarked, and shared.

Users who opt-in to get reminders will get a notification 15 minutes before the time of the release and at the set time of the drop. When it's time to purchase, and users click the information, they'll be directed to a "shop on website" button leading to the brand's site.

The test is presently limited to iOS users in the US who use Twitter in English. Early brand partners include Dior, The Home Depot, and clothing company Union Los Angeles, according to Twitter.

Twitter shopping reminders are similar to tools that exist on other platforms like Instagram, where brands preview upcoming products and customers can set up reminders. Though e-commerce may not be as much of a focus on Twitter as it is on Instagram, where an entire tab is dedicated to shopping, shoppers already discuss highly anticipated releases on Twitter.

For that, the new Twitter test includes a clickable hashtag related to the drop on the product preview page so that shoppers can find tweets about the release.

Instagram is reportedly raising a new section under the Shop tab on its app that will allow customers to shop the latest product drops. Drop is an e-commerce buzzword for unique launches that helps sellers create a buzz for upcoming developments in the days leading up to their availability.

After that, sellers release the products in short supply or for a limited time to increase the demand for the yield. The Drops section beneath the Shop tab will allow users to browse, discover, and shop the latest developments.

Instagram is introducing a new feature. It is exclusively available in the US currently on its Android and iOS apps. The new Drops component in the Shop tab will show users the latest products and information about coming launches. In addition, the report cites that shoppers can also sign up to be apprised of upcoming developments they're interested in, in addition to browsing through products and collections, among other drops that have emerged on the social media platform lately.

Like the rest of the shopping credentials on Instagram, users can purchase Drops directly from the app by utilizing the Checkout feature. According to the publication, this will authorize Instagram to collect fees on investments in the future.

However, Instagram has presently waived its selling fees in a move to help small businesses recover from failures incurred due to COVID-19 in the past year and create a solid user base interested in shopping on the platform.

Some of the drops available presently are Drake x NOCTA "Cardinal Stock" cluster and the upcoming Wren + Glory summer hand-painted collection, and Charlotte Tilbury Exclusive Pillow Talk Lips & Dreams Lashes tools. There are five drops documented this week, but the number of drops can range from a week to a week as Instagram continues to strain the feature.

Customers can view more details about the forthcoming drops by visiting the brand's page inside the Drops section underneath the Shop tab. They can view details like price, availability, and other information they may need before making the purchase. Users also can save a drop for the future by adding it to their wishlist or sharing it with a friend utilizing the Direct Messaging feature on Instagram.

A brand's live shopping can be planned to align with its product drop. The app will depict a countdown timer and confetti animation leading to the reveal and availability of the drop, as per the notification.

Instagram counted a new feature to enable connect online shoppers to product drops through its app. Drops, a unique e-commerce trend, help sellers build buzz for forthcoming products in the days and weeks showing up to their availability. Unfortunately, the products are often only available in limited supplies or for a short period, increasing demand.

On Instagram, drops will now have their destination inside the app at the top of the Shop tab, where consumers can locate, browse and shop all the latest product takeoffs as well as view upcoming launches. Shoppers also can sign up to obtain reminders about products they're interested in and skim through products and supplies from other drops that recently received a place on Instagram.

Like other online shopping delivered through Instagram, consumers can create their Drops purchases directly in the Instagram app itself through Checkout on Instagram, not by calling third-party websites. This model will eventually allow Instagram to collect fees on purchases — something that's become a more critical part of Facebook and Instagram's overall enterprise model in the wake of Apple's privacy crackdown on iOS apps that affects Facebook's ad revenues.

However, Instagram has temporarily waived its selling fees to support businesses that are recovering from the last year of COVID. The move will also allow it to gain ground in online shopping against new competitors, including TikTok.

The new Drops location organizes the product launches in one place to make it easier to scan and shop. Instagram tells us it's curating the featured drops in this section. To be considered, brands need to utilize the product launch feature, which is available to companies on Checkout with Instagram.