What’s the last item you purchased? Now think about where you discovered it. Was it through a commercial that aired on television? Did you see an ad in a magazine?

Is anyone else guilty of buying something because social media made you want it? When I actually sit and think about purchases I’ve made and how I discovered the items, a large percentage of them were discovered through social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. Today I wanted to share with you all a new way to shop using a social media app that is quickly becoming one of my favorites: Snapchat.

If you’re following on Snapchat, you can now shop my snaps and find out where products are available without having to manually search things in your free time. When there’s a snap with an emoticode (ghost+rocket emoji followed by 3 letters) you can now screenshot the photos and use the free ShopStyle app to see where the item is sold.

Here’s how to use Snapchat to Shop

1. Take a screenshot of a Snapchat that contains an Emoticode like the one shown above.
2. Open the ShopStyle app and import the screenshot by selecting the More tab at the bottom of the screen and then clicking Import Photo with an Emoticode.
3. The ShopStyle app will scan the Emoticode in the photo so all you have to do is click the photo and you’ll be taken directly to the item!

I love discovering new products through social media, and having the ability to shop a link directly without having to search or figure out what product is referenced totally eliminates the guesswork.

What do you think about using social media to online shop? Which platform influences your purchasing habits?