Ten years ago, if you searched “desk ideas” on Pinterest, you’d mostly see nice photos, clean setups, white walls, and maybe a coffee mug.

Nothing to buy, just inspiration.

If you try that same search today, you’ll see prices, sizes, stock updates, a “Shop” button, and some random AI stuff (which you can reduce in Settings → Refine your recommendations → Gen AI interests if needed).

What’s actually happening here is that Pinterest is quietly turning itself into a shopping window.

That’s why Pinterest says Gen Z is already using it to shop. 39% of them now start their searches on Pinterest instead of a search engine.

What it means is, if you sell online, or even plan to, and you’re still thinking of Pinterest as only a way to get traffic, you might miss the next big thing.

Pinterest wants to be the place where someone sees something, taps it, and moves toward buying with as little friction as possible.

For example, let’s say you’re shopping for a new sofa. A Pin grabs your attention, but it doesn’t feel right.

You can use Pinterest’s visual search to highlight the sofa (or any part of the image), and Pinterest will show more products like it, even if you don’t know what to call it.

So how can you make the most of this buying moment?

➡️ Claim your Pinterest Business account and connect your Shopify store (or Etsy works too). This lets your products show up as shoppable Pins, with live prices and stock updates.

This is quite a long process, so I packed all the info into one blog post. Read it here.

➡️ Treat Pinterest like a shop window, not just a traffic source. Make Pins that say, “Here’s the product,” and tag your product so people can go straight from scrolling to buying.

You can even start selling if you don’t have the product in your hand. What we call “Print-on-demand” lets you create and sell without keeping any stock. Here are some of the best companies to partner with.

➡️ Use Pinterest’s Trends tool. It helps you see what people will want before most others do, so you can publish product-led content people are about to start looking for.

➡️ Focus on what really matters. Track saves and add-to-cart actions, not just clicks. The closer someone is to buying, the better.

It's something that we can't ignore. Pinterest is turning itself into a social commerce engine.

If you connect your catalog and start creating Pins that lead directly to your products, you’re preparing for where Pinterest is clearly heading in 2026, a place where people start shopping with their eyes first.

And don't forget that Pinterest Academy’s courses on pinterestacademy.com are simple and helpful if you want to get even better.

It’s free, so take advantage.

Stay curious,

Minosh.

P.S. Thinking about starting something in fashion? I’ve shared 9 clothing business ideas on the blog. Might spark a few ideas for you.

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