Your Instagram shop is a public catalog for physical products. Each item gets photos, a price and a page buyers can open from your bio or a message. To place an order, they contact you on WhatsApp or Instagram; you agree on payment, shipping and returns directly in that conversation. The Store does not collect payment or arrange delivery for these items.
This is separate from Digital products, where a file is delivered through the buyer’s Purchases page. If you sell both a physical item and a downloadable guide, make one listing in each area so the buyer sees the right order path.
Create your shop profile
- Sign in and open store.aipatnam.com/sell/shop. Choose a Store username first if you have not set one; it becomes part of your public shop link.
- Enter a shop name. Add your WhatsApp number if you want buyers to start an order there. Add a city and contact email when they help buyers understand where you sell and how to reach you.
- Write a short About section that describes the products you actually stock. Add a delivery note and a return note that reflect what you can offer.
- Save the profile, then check its review status on the shop dashboard. You can add products while the new shop waits for review; the public shop link becomes useful when the shop is active.
The form offers sample delivery and return wording. Read and change it before saving: a template is only a starting point and buyers may rely on the terms you publish. If you charge separately for shipping, say when and how you will tell the buyer the total before payment. Read the seller rules before listing an item.
Add the first physical product
Choose Add product from your shop dashboard. Add at least one photo; the first photo becomes the cover image. Check every image before upload and use photos that show the actual item clearly. The number of photos you can add is limited by your current plan, and the form shows the limit. The image preparation step removes location data from uploaded photos.
Give the item a clear title, price in rupees and category. Add a description that covers condition, what is included and any choice the buyer needs to make. The form also has optional fields for fabric, colour, length, blouse, sizes and care, which are useful for clothing but can be left empty when they do not apply. Do not put a different price in the description from the price field.
Review the photos and details, then choose Add to shop. A product you add to an active shop appears on the public catalog immediately. Open its item page and check that the photos, price and order button are correct before promoting it in a post or story.
Keep the catalog accurate
| Dashboard action | Use it when |
|---|---|
| Edit | A photo, description, price or item detail needs correction. |
| Sold out / Back in stock | You want to show that an item is currently unavailable or available again. |
| Hide / Show | You want to remove or restore an item on the public catalog without deleting it. |
| Delete | You no longer need the item in your shop dashboard. |
Update sold-out items promptly, especially if you share individual item links in old posts. Check the public catalog after a change: a buyer may arrive through your bio instead of the dashboard. Keep your delivery and return notes current when your terms change.
The dashboard shows shop and item views along with WhatsApp and Instagram taps. These are interest signals, not confirmed orders or revenue. Count actual orders from your conversations and your own records; the Store does not receive the buyer’s full order details from those chats.
Questions people ask
Do buyers pay through the aipatnam Store for a shop item?
No. The Instagram shop is a catalog for physical goods. Buyers contact you on WhatsApp or Instagram, and you arrange the payment and delivery terms directly.
Can I add products while my shop is pending review?
Yes. The shop dashboard lets you add products while the profile awaits review. Check the dashboard for the shop status before sharing the public link.
What if an item sells out?
Use Sold out on the shop dashboard so the public listing reflects availability. Use Back in stock when you can take orders again.
Does a WhatsApp tap mean I received an order?
No. The tap count only shows that someone opened the contact path. Confirm the item, price, payment and delivery in your conversation with the buyer.
Create the shop profile, add one accurate item, then check its public page before sharing your bio link.
Open your Instagram shop →Sources
Written by the aipatnam team from Meta's developer documentation and what we see building tools for Indian creators. Platform rules change; we review these guides regularly. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.