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Buy Button - Selling with Instagram Direct Message and Messenger

This article will show you how to create a Manychat Buy Button that will directly connect to your Instagram Direct Message (DM) or Facebook Messenger channels for a user-friendly checkout experience. After you connect the payment system, you can add the Buy Button as a button with Image Gallery, Card, and Video. 

To use the Buy Button, you first need to connect Stripe or PayPal to your Manychat account. Here you can read why your Buy Button isn't working and how to fix it.

How to create a Buy Button for Instagram DM

How to create a Buy Button for Facebook Messenger

Orders and Revenue Analytics

Troubleshooting

Facebook Rules & Best Practices


  • How to create a Buy Button for Instagram DM

Don't lose leads during your purchase flow. Use the Buy Button for Instagram DM to reduce drop-off rates.

Go to Automation-> Flows->Instagram Flows -> New Flow-> Send Message -> Select  +Add Button. 

Enter your text above the New Button you just created.  

Go to the row of element icons.  

Note: The Buy Button can be added only to Card and Gallery elements.

On the pop-up menu, you'll see various ways to use a Button: perform actions, link to website, option for Randomizer, and activate the Buy Button. 

After selecting Buy Button, the Edit Button shows a list of more detailed information describing your product or service:  

  • Name your item
  • List a price
  • Additional Contact Data contains their Email, Contact Phone Number, and Shipping Address. This information is required to connect with a Stripe account.

This is what the button looks like in Gallery style. Your contact will see this Buy Button message block on their Instagram DM. Your button can be as creative and targeted as you want with Gallery and Card elements. Grab your contact's attention by adding a cool-looking picture of a model wearing your product makes your message pop. The Buy Button delivers a smooth and engaging shopping experience. 

When they click “Buy now”, they’re directed to complete their order which integrates with the Stripe payment system. Note: This example uses PayPal as the integration. When using Stripe, contacts can only pay via credit card.

  • How to Create a Buy Button for Facebook Messenger

The Automation of the Buy Button for Facebook Messenger is similar to Instagram DM. 

Go to Automation->Flows ->Facebook Messenger Flows -> New Flow-> Send Message-> Card, Gallery, Image, or Video +Add Button. The Buy Button is not supported with other message blocks.

There are endless ways to display your product when you use the appropriate element. Each style can be as unique as your target audience. Just add a creative picture and information for a professional-looking Stripe Buy Button on Facebook Messenger. 

When a proper element is selected, you can create a nice display of your products; add an eye-catching picture and information about your product. Here is what the Stripe Buy Button looks like:

Define the Button Title, Item Price in the chosen currency, Item Name (visible to you not to customers),  and Additional User Data, which can be requested from customers. An email is requested by default. 

If the automation of the Buy Button transaction goes through, the customer will receive the following confirmation of their order.

  • Orders and Revenue Analytics

You can check the number and the revenue amount of all orders that were bought through the Buy Button. The revenue is calculated and displayed for each currency separately in Settings > Payments.

  • FAQ

Where can I find Terms of Service for payments?

Check Section 7 of our ToS here.

Why isn't Apple Pay/Android Pay supported? 

Those cool features work in a browser but not directly in Instagram DM and Messenger. In the current version, we want to focus on keeping the automation as consistent as possible. Still, these features might be supported in the future!

Can I connect multiple Manychat accounts to one Stripe/PayPal account?

Please note: one Stripe or PayPal account can only be connected to one Manychat account. If you're getting an error that your payment method can not be connected to your account, you probably have the same payment method connected to another Manychat account already. 

If you need Payments set up on several Manychat accounts, you'll have to connect a separate Stripe or PayPal account to each one of them.

How do I test if my payment flow is working?

To make a test purchase with Stripe you have to use a test card number 4242 4242 4242 4242 with any expiration date and CVC. Your real credit card will not work in Preview mode. To test your PayPal button you need to use your separate Sandbox app's credentials or a different PayPal account.

How to create a shopping cart inside the bot?

Using Custom Formula in the Buy Button allows you to create a simple shopping cart inside the Automation — your customers can add different items in their Custom Fields. You need to sum up all their values at checkout. Here's an example of the Flow:

Here is the formula for the Buy Button:

Note: Any additional actions connected to the Buy Button will only work after successful payment.

  • Troubleshooting 

Buy Button doesn't currently work with Android/Apple Pay directly in Instagram DM and Messenger, but this feature might be supported in the future!

  1. If any additional actions linked to Buy Button do not work, it usually means that they can be activated only after successful payment.
  2. If Buy Button doesn't appear in Instagram DM and Messenger preview, go to Help and click the Refresh Permissions button. Always update your permissions. 
  3. Note: Whenever a customer is using Stripe Buy Button and is entering their country before purchasing, they need to enter it in a two-letter abbreviation. For example, DK for Denmark, RU for Russia, the UK for the United Kingdom. 
  • Facebook Rules & Best Practices for Selling with Instagram DM and Messenger

a. Don't share or ask people to share individual payment cards, financial account numbers, or other cardholder data within messages. 

b. Don't include links to sites off Instagram DM and/or Messenger where payment information is collected, without our prior permission.

c. If you have permission to offer or complete sales of goods or services within Messenger, adhere to the Facebook Commerce Product Merchant Agreement.

d. Don't use Instagram DM and/or Messenger to sell digital goods.

Still have questions? Please contact Support and we'll help you shortly.