Inactive FB Store Status: How to Get Approved for FB & IG Shopping

Summary

1. Check Business Verification Status
2. Activate Business Verification
3. Request for App Review
4. Business Verification Process
5. Manual Request for Verification (for few followers and page likes)

Failure to satisfy these requirements at any time may lead to loss of access to Facebook Commerce surfaces, and Commerce features, or may lead to your account being disabled.

Facebook Commerce surfaces include, but are not limited to, Facebook Shops, Facebook Page Shops, Marketplace Stores, Live Shopping, and Instagram Shopping.

Definitions (in the Philippine Market):

• Facebook Shops - A fully eCommerce version of a Facebook Page Shops. checkout isn't available in the region but products can be synchronized across Facebook, Instagram, and Marketplace.
• Facebook Page Shops - A Facebook Business Page with a product catalog for browsing and website redirection for checkout. Mostly for marketing and customer engagement purposes.
• Marketplace Stores - Functions like a classified ad listing page, buyers and sellers come together to promote and purchase products.
• Live Shopping - Using the Live broadcast feature to sell in real-time, with the ability to showcase product listings on the platform.
• Instagram Shopping - Connected to Facebook Shops, but checkout isn't available in the region. Instagram business pages can create shoppable tags on their posts, featuring the product name, and price, and even redirect to an online store upon clicking.

Steps to get your Facebook Page Shop and Instagram Shop Eligible for Facebook Shops

Note: The following information has been acquired from  eCommerce Today for reference.

1. Check Business Verification Status

If you haven't already, you need to go through Facebook's Business Verification.

• Business Manager > Business Settings
• If Unverified, click on View Details
  • 
• In the Security Center, see if the Business Verification button is active
  • 
• If it is active, you need to click continue and follow the steps by submitting the requested information and documents. 
• If it is not active, it’s because “your business is not eligible for business verification”. 

2. Activate Business Verification

• Business Manager > Business Settings
• Accounts > Apps
• Add and Create a New App ID
• Select “Manage integrations for your business” and click Next. Select Business and Next
• Set Display Name as your business or page name, enter an app contact email.
• Hit Create app and enter your Facebook password again.
• Settings > Basic
• Fill on a namespace for the app (same as your app name/business name, no uppercase letters)
  
  • Add website domain (required)
  • Privacy Policy URL (required)
  • Terms of Service URL (required)
• Save Changes

3. Request for App Review

• Business Manager > Business Settings
• App Review > Requests
• Request permissions or features. Scroll down to business_management and hit “Request Advanced Access”
  • 
• Settings > Basic
• If everything is done correctly, the Start Verification button should be active, click on it.

4. Business Verification Process

A new tab with Business Settings will appear. Please make sure you submit the correct details on this page as they will be sent to Facebook and verification approval depends on these.

You will be asked to provide the following:

• Country
• Address Website
• Select your business
• Confirm business details
• Choose a verification method
  • Text message
  • Phone call
  • Email

Once you submit these, Facebook can take from a few days to a few weeks to get back to you and ask for more details or verify your business.

5. Manual Request for Verification (for few followers and page likes)

• Business Manager > Business Settings
• Accounts > Open in Commerce Manager
  • 
• In the Overview section you will be able to see: Action Needed, click on See Details
  
  • 
• You should  be able to see what is the reason why the Commerce Account is not eligible (e.g. few followers can be classified as poor account quality)
  • You can click on the Commerce Eligibility Requirements link to see what Section does not comply with.
  • If it is section 4 and you have a sufficient follower base, click on the Account Quality link and Request Review blue button on the right side.
• If you are not able to request another review but know you have taken the necessary steps to comply with the requirements, you can just contact Facebook support and ask for a manual review. 
• Reach out to Facebook Support
  • Commerce Manager
  • Overview > Need Help?
  • Click Learn More
  • 
• A new section on the right side will show with Recommended Articles and a button saying: Contact Facebook Support:
  • 
• On the form, select Account Setup, getting approved for Instagram Shopping,  and click on the small blue link saying: Need more help? Contact Facebook Support
  • 
  • Add an email address, and a message, select Chat as a preferred contact method, and wait a few good minutes for a Facebook representative to join the chat.
    
    • Message sample: Hi, this is ___ with ___ (Business name). I am reaching out as we are trying to integrate Facebook as a sales channel to our online store. We are facing issues with our Commerce Account not being eligible for shopping. We have verified our domain and submitted all the necessary documents for Facebook Business Verification. We have slowly started to establish a presence and got small but positive ___ followers on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We kindly ask that you help us with the Commerce Manager approval as we are planning to invest time and resources into growing our social media presence.
• Be kind and polite to the Facebook representative and make sure you clearly state the issues you are facing and clearly ask them for assistance on what exactly needs to be done to get the account approved.

Need more help?

For more information and assistance, please send an email to support@prosperna.com.

Happy Selling!