To set up an Instagram Shop, first check whether Shopping is available for your country and account. Then prepare your product details and follow the steps to connect your online store with Meta. If you have a Dutch or Belgian account, do not automatically assume that you have access in 2026.
Below, you will learn how to check this, prepare your products and find out why product tags are missing.
Check Instagram Shopping availability in the Netherlands and Belgium
Go to the official Instagram Shopping setup page. Sign in if requested. Use the account you want to use to manage your shop.
Review the requirements shown there. Find the answers to these questions:
- Is Shopping available in the country where your business is established?
- Do your account and products meet the requirements shown?
- Which accounts do you need to connect? Which details and permissions are required?
- Do customers check out through your online store or somewhere else?
If it is unclear whether your country is supported, use the help Meta offers for your account. Dutch guidance or someone else’s shop does not mean that your account also has access.
Showing products is not the same as checking out on Instagram
According to the Shopify explanation of Instagram Shopping you need a product catalogue and your market must be supported. Shopping can display products and send visitors to your online store to check out.
So do not assume that customers can pay on Instagram. Later, test where they are taken. Only explain how payment works in your posts after you have checked that route yourself.
What do you need for an Instagram Shop?
First prepare your product details. A product catalogue is a collection containing product names, photos, prices and links to your online store, among other things. Check these details before you start connecting anything.
For example, start with three products that are in stock. This keeps the first test manageable. Three products is a practical choice, not an Instagram requirement.
| Prepare this | Check this |
|---|---|
| Product name | Is it immediately clear what you are selling? |
| Product photo | Does the photo show the correct model and colour? |
| Price and stock | Do these match your online store? |
| Product page | Does the link open the correct product directly? |
| Shipping and returns | Can customers easily find out how shipping and returns work? |
| Access to your accounts | Can you sign in to your online store and the business accounts you are going to connect? |
Fictional example: Suppose you sell a green mug and a blue mug. Give each colour a clear name and the correct photo. Then you can easily see whether the tag for the green mug actually leads to the green mug.
Set up an Instagram Shop in six steps
The screens may differ by account and online store. Therefore, use these steps as a checklist, not as a fixed sequence of buttons.
- Check whether you have access. Check whether your country, account and products meet the requirements shown. Complete missing details if requested.
- See how to connect your online store with Meta. Look in your online store’s help section to see which connection is supported. Follow the instructions for your online store.
- Choose the correct accounts. Check which Instagram profile and business accounts you are connecting. Stop if you see an old or unknown account.
- Review the catalogue. Can you choose an existing catalogue? First check which products it contains. Do not immediately create a second one if your online store already uses one.
- Follow the steps on your screen. Provide only the details requested there. Afterwards, check whether you still need to do anything or whether a review is pending.
- Test your selected products. Compare the photo, name, price and stock with your online store. Also check whether each product links to the correct page.
Can’t find a suitable connection? Look in your online store’s help section to see which route you can use. Do not immediately start over with other accounts. This makes it harder to identify where the problem occurs.
Check whether changes are passed through
Look in the connection instructions to see how product details are updated. Did you change a price in your online store? Then check whether the new price also appears for the connected product. Do not assume that a change is visible everywhere immediately.
Tag and test products on Instagram
A product tag is a clickable reference next to a photo or video that leads to a product. Does your account offer this option? If so, choose the product shown in the photo or video from your catalogue.
Start with one clear product. In a photo with multiple colours or models, it is less easy to notice whether you chose the wrong tag.
- Check that you selected the correct product.
- Open the tag as soon as it is visible.
- Compare the displayed details with your online store.
- Follow the steps up to checkout without placing an order.
- Check on your phone whether the product page is easy to read.
Can’t add a product tag? Use the checks in the next section to find out what is missing.
Would you like to save information about sizes, materials or shipping on your profile? Read how to create Instagram Highlights. This lets you give customers more information, but it does not solve a product connection problem.
Instagram Shop not working: what should you check?
First, look at exactly what is going wrong. Is Shopping completely missing, is your product list empty or is the price of one product incorrect? Start with the check that matches your problem. The table shows possible checks, not a certain cause.
| What do you see? | What can you check? |
|---|---|
| No Shopping or product tags | Check whether Shopping is available for your country and account. Read any notifications on your account. |
| An empty product list | Check which catalogue is connected and whether it contains products. |
| One product is missing | Look up the product in the catalogue and read any accompanying notifications. |
| An incorrect price or photo | Compare the details in your online store with the catalogue. Check how the connection passes on changes. |
| A tag opens the wrong page | Check the product link and also open it separately in your browser. |
| A review is still pending | Read whether you still need to add anything yourself. Do not rely on a fixed waiting time. |
Still unable to resolve it? Note the exact notification, which product it concerns and at which step the problem occurs. If necessary, take a screenshot to show support. Do not share passwords or login codes.
What can you do if Shopping is unavailable?
Continue using your online store to sell. Clearly indicate next to your product photos where people can place an order. Also make sure they can easily find information about delivery and returns.
Would you like to ask someone later to showcase your products? Then read how to find Instagram influencers who fit your shop. That is a separate next step, independent of setting up your Shop.
