The shopping tab is removed from Instagram’s redesigned home page

Did you find it annoying that the “new post” button was hidden away because of Instagram’s obsession with shopping? It’s not just you. The Shop tab will no longer be present on Instagram’s home screen, and the Create button will be moved back to the center of the bottom navigation bar as part of a February update. The Reels tab is then moved to the side as a result.

Adam Mosseri of the social network added in a video that shopping will continue to appear in your feed, reels, stories, and advertisements. There won’t even be a tab specifically for it. In addition to the usual mid-feed offerings, the section typically provides targeted recommendations to encourage shopping.

In September, Instagram began testing the new design. Mosseri described the update in a video announcing its launch as an effort to “simplify” the service and concentrate on connecting people to “things they love.” To put it bluntly, Insta is remembering that it is a social network.

However, it’s possible that the change is also part of a larger strategy overhaul. The Information claimed in September that it had seen an internal memo indicating that Instagram would eliminate many of its shopping features. Instead, the site would concentrate on ad revenue-related commerce initiatives. Simply put, the shopping campaign does not appear to have been successful. As Meta shifts its focus to the metaverse, this would boost its financial results.

Additionally, there is the issue of competition. The “new post” button on TikTok, which served as the model for a number of Instagram features, is still prominent. Obviously, this placement does not guarantee success, but that platform has continued to thrive despite Instagram. According to data from Data.ai, it had approximately 1.64 billion monthly active users as of October. The rethinking of Instagram may encourage more posts and provide potential converts with a more familiar experience.