Instagram is launching the next element in its eCommerce push, with a new test of promoted products on the Shop tab in the app.

As you can see here, soon, brands with product listings in the app will be able to promote them on the Shop tab front page, with a 'Sponsored' disclaimer marking the posts.
Clicking through on a sponsored product listing will take you through to the Product Details Page, where you'll be able to get more info, and view additional images where available. That will also help to connect people through to other posts and products from the brand within Instagram, by tapping on the profile bubble, while they'll also be able to tap through to the brand's website for more information, and to make a purchase.
And like regular Instagram posts, promoted products can also be saved or shared with friends, providing further promotional potential.
Instagram is gradually adding in more commerce tools and features, as it looks to make its platform more 'shoppable' and encourage new user behaviors that align with the broader eCommerce shift. Eventually, Instagram is hoping to make shopping a habitual response in the app, so that any time you view a post, you'll be able to buy and items shown, within a few clicks.
There's a lot to this, with Facebook operating in various regions, with varying regulations around payments and in-stream buying. But with the addition of Instagram Shops, and new promotional tools like this, the platform is steadily moving towards building its shopping potential, and facilitating whole new use cases for brands.
These new Shop tab ads will be tested with selected US advertisers to begin with, including Away, Boo Oh, Clairepaint, DEUX and Donni Davy.
Instagram says that it will evaluate the results over time, with a view to expanding availability.