To sell on Instagram you need an Instagram professional account, a store on a domain you own, and approval from Meta for your product catalog. Per Shopify, setting up an Instagram Shop is free, shoppers browse in the app and complete checkout on your online store, and you are responsible for collecting sales tax on those orders. Rules change, so confirm details with Meta before you start.
What do I need before I start?
Based on Shopify’s guide and Help Center, the requirements are:
- An Instagram professional account. It must be a business or creator account linked to your business’s Facebook Page.
- A published Facebook Page and a business portfolio connected to it, with your personal Facebook account having full control of both.
- An online store that is not in private mode. Meta requires that “your products must be available for direct purchase from your verified domain.”
- A business in a supported country.
- Products that follow Meta’s Commerce Policy. Shopify’s guide says alcohol and medical products are banned. Facebook reviews every uploaded product, and you can request a review of a rejected item.
- Compliance with the terms and standards. Your Page must follow Meta’s Terms of Service, Commercial Terms and Community Standards, and your Instagram account must follow Instagram’s Terms of Use.
Shopify’s Help Center also mentions a good feedback score for your business portfolio, since poor scores can reduce how often your ads are shown.
How much does it cost?
Selling on Instagram is free, and there is no fee to set up an Instagram Shop, per Shopify’s guide. The Facebook and Instagram sales channel is free on all Shopify plans, subject to store eligibility. Your real costs sit elsewhere: your store platform, payment processing, shipping and any ads. Our guide to how much Shopify costs breaks down plans and per-sale fees.
How do I set it up?
The steps below follow Shopify’s guide. If you do not use Shopify, the guide says to start with Meta Commerce Manager.
- Check eligibility. Confirm you meet the requirements above.
- Connect your store. On Shopify, install the Facebook & Instagram app and follow the setup wizard to connect your Instagram business account, enter business details, choose privacy settings and install a Meta pixel. Meta then reviews your shop.
- Manage inventory. On Shopify, your catalog syncs automatically. On the Products page you can include or exclude items from the Facebook & Instagram sales channel.
- Tag products. You can tag products in image posts, Stories and Reels, and in ads. Users can also tag your products in their own posts.
- Measure results. Use Shopify Analytics (total sales by channel) for sales data and Instagram Insights in Commerce Manager for engagement with shoppable content.
Shopify’s guide notes that in April 2026 Meta introduced product tagging directly in Reels, and brands must register those products in Meta’s commerce catalog. The Help Center page does not say how long approval takes, so build in some buffer before a big sales date.
How does checkout work?
Shopify’s guide describes shoppers browsing your Instagram Shop and completing checkout on your online store. It does not describe a native in-app checkout. If you have seen older articles about buying inside the app, check Meta’s current pages before you plan around that feature.
What about sales tax?
As of August 2025, you are responsible for collecting sales tax on orders placed through your Instagram Shop, according to Shopify. The Help Center adds that Meta is no longer a marketplace tax facilitator, so you must collect and remit sales taxes on Facebook and Instagram orders. Set up your tax settings in your store. This is general information, and a tax professional can tell you what applies in your state.
A simple pre-launch checklist
This checklist is ours, built from the requirements above:
- Switch the account to professional and link the Facebook Page.
- Make sure your store is live, not password protected, and on your own domain.
- Remove any product that falls into a banned category.
- Check that prices, photos and stock in the catalog match your store.
- Write return and shipping information on your site, because shoppers land there after tapping a tag.
- Test the full path yourself: tap a tag, add to cart, reach checkout on a phone.
What mistakes should I avoid?
- Using a personal account. Professional accounts are required.
- Selling restricted items. Alcohol and medical products are banned per Shopify.
- Leaving the store in private mode. Meta needs to reach the products on your verified domain.
- Forgetting sales tax. The responsibility is yours.
- Treating tags as the whole strategy. Tags help shoppers find an item, but photos and fast replies to messages are what make someone buy. That is our opinion, not a Meta rule.
Who is this not for?
It does not fit sellers without their own store or domain, sellers whose products Meta bans, and anyone who needs a payment flow inside the app. In those cases Instagram can still bring in customers through posts and direct messages, but without the shop feature. If you sell mainly on marketplaces, such as Walmart Marketplace, Instagram works best as a way to send people to your listings or store.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to sell on Instagram?
Per Shopify, yes. There is no fee to set up an Instagram Shop, though you still pay your store, payment and shipping costs.
Do I need a Facebook Page?
Shopify’s requirements say your Instagram account must be a professional or creator account linked to your business’s Facebook Page, with a published Page and a business portfolio.
Can I use Instagram without Shopify?
Yes. Shopify’s guide says that if you are not on Shopify, you start with Meta Commerce Manager.
Who collects sales tax on Instagram orders?
You do. Shopify says that as of August 2025 you are responsible for collecting sales tax on orders placed through your Instagram Shop.
