What You Need to Know About Those New Blue Price Tags on Pinterest Here's what the latest Pinterest update means for businesses and consumers.
By Nina Zipkin
If you've looked to Pinterest to help you plan a party, get some fashion tips or get started on a DIY home improvement project, the next step after getting inspiration is to head off on your own to try and emulate the ideas you saw on the page. But starting today, the platform wants to be more of a one-stop shop for its users with the official launch of Buyable Pins for iPhone and iPad, after being announced earlier this month.
For customers using mobile iOS, a blue "Buy it" button is now located next to the familiar red "Pin it" button in the top right hand corner. The pin will also have a blue price.
Related: Get Ready for 'Buy' Buttons in Google Search Results
From there, the user is directed to a secure checkout screen, and can purchase with a credit card or via Apple Pay. In a blog post earlier this month, Pinterest said it will not be storing users' credit-card information itself; it will work with payment processors.
If the user is looking for a specific item, like rain boots or a sweater, they can specifically search for the item (and all the colors and sizes available) and the range they are interested in spending. Pinterest is also offering a "Shop our picks" option. Over 2 million pins will be available to purchase.
Related: How to Attract Customers Through Pinterest
On the business side of things, Pinterest is working with big name retailers like Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, Shopify stores and companies that are run on the ecommerce platform DemandWare. In a post on the Pinterest for Business blog earlier this month, the company said it "doesn't take a cut from your sales and you still get to handle shipping and customer service the way you always have."
If you're a company that operates through Shopify, you have the option to go into your account and add the Pinterest channel to get started with the Buyable Pins. There is also a wait list for Buyable Pins that small-business owners can join as more ecommerce platforms become compatible. Buyable Pins on Android devices and the website proper will be released at a later date.
Related: Pinterest Pegged at $11 Billion After Raising $367 Million in New Funding
