Shopping collages are moving from Shuffles to Pinterest’s main app

A year ago, Pinterest’s new collage-making app Shuffles went mainstream on TikTok, where Generation Z users sought out invitations to create their own inspirational compositions. Now, that collage-making capability is moving to Pinterest’s main app, with a new feature that allows users to use the platform’s advanced visual technology to cut out images and create interactive collages of their favorite products and other visual content they find inspiring.

The idea is clearly borrowed from the Shuffles app, which uses similar image-cutting technology. In the app, users could create their own collages using photos from Pinterest’s own library or by capturing them with their phone’s camera. After finding an image they liked, users could cut objects out of the photo, a feature that also appeared in iOS 16 and is now used to create image stickers for iMessage in iOS 17.

Not only did these collages serve as inspirational moodboards, items in the finished works could also be purchased. Users could click on the items and be taken to the Pinterest site, where they could see if the item could be purchased on the seller’s site.

This is essentially the same product that Pinterest is now introducing in its flagship app called Collages, calling it a way for Pinterest users to “go beyond pins” and see how different products fit together. But while Shuffles wasn’t as heavily shopping-oriented – TikTok users created “aesthetic collages” as works of art in many cases – Pinterest’s “Collages” is designed to encourage users to buy. Brands can also participate by updating their catalogs so users can add items to their collages.

According to Pinterest, the feature is in early testing and will soon be rolled out to all users. It’s unclear how this will affect the fate of the Shuffles program itself, which has since lost its status as a viral hit and is now ranked #121 in the Lifestyle category of the App Store. However, Pinterest says it will continue to use Shuffles as a testing ground for now and bring its best features to the platform.

The addition of Shuffles was just one of several new product and advertising technology announcements Pinterest made at this week’s Pinterest Presents global event for advertisers. At the event, the company also unveiled an updated roadmap for ad products, including the expansion of its recently introduced premium video ad slot, Premiere Spotlight, from the search page to the main feed.

The event did not discuss Pinterest’s features for creators or its efforts to challenge TikTok with video streams, which seem to have taken a back seat in recent months, leading to the discontinuation of the Pinterest Creator Rewards program last November.

The company also did not actively talk about its use of artificial intelligence, limiting itself to hints that it is being used to improve the relevance of ads.

The main takeaway from the event was that Pinterest is focused on becoming a place to shop, not just a board for inspiration. CEO Bill Reedy noted that engagement with shoppable content is up 50% from last year, with more than half of Pinterest users now making purchases.

“It used to be easy to shop on Pinterest, but there wasn’t a clear view of how to do it. It was like all the stores were closed,” Reedy says. “Now we’re opening stores. We’re making everything available for purchase. Every image and every video. Shopping is now seamlessly integrated into all of our core surfaces,” he added.

The company also said that more than 465 million people visit Pinterest every month, with Generation Z being the biggest driver of engagement growth and the most engaged audience.