Instagram Live Shopping is facing its final curtain call this March, as Meta shuts down the option that allows users to tag products during live broadcasts on the platform.

The photo and video sharing service has now confirmed that it is killing its Live Shopping feature next month.

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In this photo illustration, a person looks at a smart phone with a Instagram logo displayed on the screen, on August 17, 2021, in Arlington, Virginia.

Instagram Live Shopping Ending This March

As per a report by Engadget, the Facebook parent, Meta, introduced the Live Shopping option on Instagram in 2020, a time wherein the COVID-19 pandemic forced most of us to stay at home.

During the height of the pandemic, online shopping saw an unprecedented increase. Some folks who lost their jobs during the widespread lockdown globally also took to social networks to sell some goods to earn a living.

So Meta took the chance to set up online shopping features on Facebook and Instagram. Thus, the birth of the Live Shopping option was around two years ago.

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This picture taken in Moscow on October 5, 2021 shows the US social network Instagram logo on a smartphone screen. 

This time around, IG announced that "you will no longer be able to tag products in live broadcasts" on the Meta-owned social network.

The support page notice precisely told its users that "live shopping on Instagram is going away on March 16, 2023."

Why is Instagram Killing Live Shopping Feature

Things have rapidly changed post-pandemic. We are now facing a rough economic situation, forcing tech behemoths to cut down on their expenses. Giant firms like Meta are trimming down their features, including online shopping options.

In fact, Engadget notes that Facebook ditched its Live Shopping option last October. And after a few months, Instagram is following the same route.

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NEW YORK, NY - MAY 20: People attend a two-day pop-up event hosted by Instagram highlighting small businesses at Chelsea Triangle on May 20, 2022 in New York City. Instagram @shop features over 1,000 small business brands from around the world and has crossed the 1 million threshold just before its 3rd anniversary.

The IG support page explains that the removal of the live broadcast product tagging option should help the photo-sharing platform "focus on products and features that provide the most value to [their] users."

So it looks like Meta wants to put its attention on the core features of the video and photo-sharing app.

Read Also: TikTok to Launch In-app Shopping Feature: How the App Expands From Videos to E-commerce

Alternatives for Instagram Live Shopping

Despite the farewell of the Live Shopping feature next month, online sellers and shoppers could continue shopping for products on the platform.

The Verge notes that shops on IG are here to say. The social media service notes that users "will still be able to set up and run [their] shop on Instagram."

On top of that, the giant social network assures its users that it will "continue to invest in shopping experiences for people and businesses."

In lieu of Live Shopping, Instagram folks could still tag products on Stories, Reels, and their feed.

Related Article: Instagram Shop to Soon Have Ads, as Social Media, Tests the App's Functions and Availability