How to Get Approved for Instagram Shopping

Transforming your Instagram profile from a simple gallery into a full-fledged storefront is a massive leap for any brand, and getting approved for Instagram Shopping is the key that unlocks it all. This guide will walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, outlining exactly what you need to do to meet the requirements, connect your products, and turn your followers into customers.

First Things First: Do You Qualify for Instagram Shopping?

Before you get into the setup process, you need to make sure your business ticks all of Meta's boxes. Instagram is protective of its user experience, so they have a strict set of requirements to maintain a trustworthy shopping environment. Think of this as your pre-flight checklist.

1. Your Business Is in a Supported Country

Instagram Shopping isn't available everywhere. Your business must be physically located in one of the countries or regions on Meta’s supported markets list. This is non-negotiable, so make sure to check their official list first to see if your location qualifies.

2. You Sell Eligible Physical Goods

Currently, Instagram Shopping is designed for businesses that sell physical products. This means things you can ship, like clothing, accessories, home goods, or beauty products. Services (like consulting or coaching), digital products (like e-books or software), and travel or event tickets are not eligible. If your business is service-based, you won't be able to use this feature.

3. You Abide by Meta’s Commerce Policies

This is a big one. Your products and your business practices must comply with Meta's Commerce Policies and Community Standards. These rules prohibit the sale of certain items, including:

• Firearms, weapons, and ammunition
• Drugs (prescription or recreational) and tobacco products
• Live animals
• Adult products and services
• Alcohol (with some limitations)
• Healthcare products that make misleading claims

Your account itself must also demonstrate trustworthiness. This means providing accurate business information, having a history of authentic activity, and representing your business and domain honestly.

4. You Have an Instagram Business or Creator Account

Personal Instagram profiles can't use shopping features. You'll need to convert your account to either a Business or a Creator account. This is a simple switch in your settings and gives you access to professional tools like Insights and advertising capabilities in addition to Shopping eligibility.

5. You Own the Domain You Sell From

You must sell your products from your own website. This means you cannot link your Instagram Shop to a marketplace like Etsy, Amazon, or Redbubble. Your products need to live on a domain that you own and operate, cementing the direct relationship between your brand on Instagram and its official online store.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Approved

If you've checked off all the eligibility requirements, you're ready to start the setup process. Follow these steps carefully to ensure a smooth path to approval.

Step 1: Convert Your Profile to a Business or Creator Account

If you haven't already, switching your account type is your first move. It's quick, easy, and unlocks the tools you need.

1. Go to your Instagram profile and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner.
2. Tap Settings and Privacy.
3. Scroll down and tap Account type and tools.
4. Select Switch to professional account and follow the prompts. You can choose either 'Business' or 'Creator' based on what best describes you. For a brand selling products, 'Business' is typically the best fit.

Step 2: Connect Your Facebook Page

Instagram is part of the Meta ecosystem, so everything runs through Facebook's backend tools. You must have a Facebook Business Page linked to your Instagram account to use Commerce features.

To connect your Page:

1. On your Instagram profile, tap Edit Profile.
2. Under 'Public business information,' tap Page.
3. You can either Connect an existing page or Create a new Facebook Page. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the link.

Your Facebook Page doesn’t need to be super active, but it must be connected to your Instagram account for the shop to function.

Step 3: Create and Connect a Product Catalog

A product catalog is the foundation of your Instagram Shop. It’s a file that contains all the essential details for each product you want to sell: names, descriptions, high-quality images, prices, sizes, colors, and direct links to the product pages on your website. You have two main ways to create one.

Option 1: Use an E-commerce Platform Integration (The Easiest Way)

If you use a popular e-commerce platform like Shopify, BigCommerce, or WooCommerce, this process is incredibly simple. These platforms have built-in integrations that automatically create and sync your product catalog with Meta Commerce Manager.

For example, with Shopify, you can add the 'Facebook & Instagram' sales channel directly within your Shopify dashboard. Once you connect it to your Facebook Business account, it will automatically pull all your product information into a catalog. This is the recommended route because it automates updates - when you add a new product or change a price on your website, your Instagram catalog updates automatically.

Option 2: Manually Create a Catalog in Meta Commerce Manager

If your e-commerce platform doesn't have a direct integration, or if you prefer a hands-on approach, you can create a catalog manually within Meta Commerce Manager.

1. Go to Meta Commerce Manager and click Add Catalog.
2. Select your catalog type (almost always E-commerce) and configure your settings.
3. You can then add products manually one by one, upload a data feed from a spreadsheet, or connect a Meta Pixel.

While this method gives you full control, it's also more time-consuming and requires careful management to keep your product information accurate and up-to-date.

Step 4: Submit Your Account for Review

Once your professional account is set up, your Facebook Page is linked, and your product catalog is ready, it's time to submit your account for approval. You'll do this directly within the Instagram app.

1. Go to your Instagram profile and tap the menu icon.
2. Tap Settings and Privacy.
3. Tap on Business (or Creator).
4. Select Set up Instagram Shopping.
5. Follow the steps. You'll be asked to connect your business account, select your product catalog, and confirm your website domain.
6. After verifying all the details, tap Submit for Review.

And now, you wait. The review process can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of weeks. You will receive a notification in your 'Professional dashboard' once your account has been approved (or if it requires more information).

"Why Didn't I Get Approved?" Common Issues and a Path Forward

An initial rejection can be disheartening, but it's often due to a simple oversight that you can fix. If your application isn't approved, Instagram will usually give you a general reason. Here are the most common culprits and what to do about them.

• Violating Commerce Policies: This is a frequent blocker. Carefully review your product catalog. Are you accidentally trying to sell a supplement with exaggerated health claims, or a product that falls into a restricted category? Remove any questionable items from the catalog synced to Instagram and resubmit.
• Missing Business Information: Your account needs to look like a real, established business. Make sure you have a complete bio, an up-to-date profile picture, a contact method (email or phone), and a link to your website domain.
• Insufficient Presence or Trust: If your account has very few followers, no posts, or zero engagement, Meta's systems might flag it as not being an "established presence." Before reapplying, focus on growing your account authentically. Post regularly, engage with your community, and build a genuine following.
• Domain Ownership Issues: Make sure the website you're directing customers to is one you own and that it is verified in your Facebook Business Manager settings. The links in your product catalog must point to this verified domain.

After you've identified and fixed the issue, you can request a second review in your account settings. Go back to the 'Shopping' section of your professional dashboard, and there should be an option to appeal or request another review.

Now You're Approved! Start Selling with Confidence

Congratulations! Once you see that approval notification, you're ready to turn on the features and start making sales.

Tag Products in Your Content

The foundation of Instagram Shopping is product tagging. You can now tag products in almost every type of content:

• Feed Posts: When creating a post, you’ll see an option to 'Tag Products'. You can tap on the image to place a tag, just like you would tag a person. You can tag up to five products per single image post or 20 for a multi-image post.
• Stories: Use the "Product" sticker to feature an item from your catalog directly in your Story. Viewers can tap the sticker to learn more and make a purchase on your website.
• Reels: When editing a Reel, you can tag products from your catalog, making your video content shoppable.

Build and Customize Your Instagram Shop

Your profile now has a 'Shop' tab, which acts as your dedicated digital storefront. Organize your shop by creating collections - curated groups of products like "New Arrivals," "Best Sellers," or seasonal themes. This helps customers browse your products more easily and discover items they might not have spotted in your feed.

Final Thoughts

Getting approved for Instagram Shopping is a multi-step process, from checking eligibility to setting up a product catalog and waiting for approval. While it can take patience and a few tweaks, the benefit of having a direct, shoppable storefront for your brand on one of the world's most popular social platforms is worth the effort.

Once your shop is approved, success comes down to a consistent, compelling content strategy. We built Postbase because we know that scheduling engaging content day after day is the hard part. Our visual calendar helps you plan shoppable Feed posts, Reels, and Stories weeks in advance, and our rock-solid, modern scheduler ensures they go out when planned. You can focus on creating great content while we handle the consistency.