Instagram’s test of an in-app reminder feature for new merchandise comes as brands, especially in fashion and beauty, use product drops to build excitement for limited-edition items. The reminders can help brands drive direct sales after promoting their product drops to their most dedicated followers. Instagram has become a platform for product discovery, with about 60% of users following a new brand after seeing an appealing ad in the app’s vertical feed or in Stories, per a September study by video technology startup VidMob.
