Shop @ Instagram

Without advertising it, Instagram opened an in-app payments feature to help users who post photos to make purchases without leaving. The feature was first spotted by tech portal Techcrunch, following a tip-off from a reader. At Gram.Instagram, the user can register a debit or credit card in their profile and set a password or security pin and proceed to purchase. It has partnered with a limited number of services as of now. "Some users are able to book appointments at spas and restaurants through third-party integration with the dinner reservation app Resy," updates tech writer The Verge.

This could attract more business entities to advertise with Instagram and reach out to a larger customer base. The opportunity has also been explored by Snapchat which, in February, rolled out a native payments and checkout feature. The Instagram feature is backed by Facebook's payment rules. However, there is no update regarding its world-wide launch as of now.