What is Commerce Manager in Meta ads?
Commerce Manager is Meta's tool for managing your product catalog and sales on Facebook and Instagram. Anyone can use it to build the catalog that holds the items you want to promote, and you don't need a shop to do so. Sellers of physical products can also set up a shop there, which unlocks extra tools.
If you want to run ads that pull products from a list, that list lives in Commerce Manager. It is where a catalog is created, filled with product data, split into product sets and linked to your pixel. Ads Manager is where you create and manage the ads themselves.
Do you need a shop to use Commerce Manager?
No. Meta says anyone can use Commerce Manager to create and manage a catalog, and a shop is not required. If you sell physical products, you can choose to set up a shop on Facebook, Instagram or both. Doing so creates a commerce account and unlocks more tools, such as customizing your shop and featured collections and getting insights on customers and popular items.
Meta also notes that some features related to shops and checkout on Facebook and Instagram are no longer supported, so check its recent-changes notice before planning around them.
What can you do in each part of Commerce Manager?
| Area | What Meta says it is for |
|---|---|
| Overview | A summary of your catalog, issues to fix and suggested actions, plus sales activity if you have a shop |
| Catalog > Products | View the products in your catalog |
| Catalog > Sets | Create and manage product sets for ads or shop collections |
| Catalog > Data sources | Add products, see your data sources, update them and change their settings |
| Catalog > Events | Connect a Meta Pixel or app SDK, which you must do to run Advantage+ catalog ads |
| Shops | Set up and customize a shop on Facebook and Instagram |
| Ads | Explore ways to advertise catalog products and follow setup steps |
| Insights | Sales and product performance, shown only if you have a shop |
| Settings | Catalog settings, and some commerce settings if you have a shop |
Why can’t you see your catalog in Commerce Manager?
Commerce Manager lists the commerce accounts and catalogs you have access to. If one is missing, Meta says you may need to pick a different business portfolio:
- Open the dropdown menu in the top left to switch business portfolio.
- Use the second dropdown below it to switch between commerce accounts and catalogs in that business.
- Click next to a catalog to mark it as a favorite, so it appears at the top of the list next time.
What does setting up a commerce account involve?
A shop needs a commerce account. Meta’s setup asks you to:
- Go to Commerce Manager and click Get started.
- Select your commerce platform, or the option for not using one, and click Next.
- Choose the Facebook Pages and Instagram profiles to connect to your shop as sales channels.
- Select an existing catalog or create a new one.
- Add a contact email, a return window in days, a return URL and a privacy policy URL.
- Agree to the seller agreement, then click Submit for review.
FAQ
Can I change the catalog connected to my shop later?
No. Meta says you can only select one catalog to connect to your shop. You can keep editing that catalog, but you can’t switch the shop to a different catalog later. Meta also says you can only link one catalog to your commerce account, so choose carefully at setup.
Is Commerce Manager the same as Ads Manager?
No. Commerce Manager holds and manages your catalog and, if you have one, your shop. Ads Manager is where you create campaigns. Commerce Manager’s Ads area points you to ways to advertise your catalog products and the steps to set them up.
Why must I connect a pixel in Commerce Manager?
Meta says you must connect a Meta Pixel or app SDK to your catalog to run Advantage+ catalog ads. You manage that connection in the Events part of the Catalog tab, where your catalog is linked to its events data sources.
Sources
- About Commerce Manager (Meta, checked 2 Oct 2026)
- Navigate Commerce Manager (Meta, checked 2 Oct 2026)
- Create a commerce account in Commerce Manager (Meta, checked 2 Oct 2026)
- About Meta Ads Manager (Meta, checked 2 Oct 2026)
Drafted with AI and checked claim by claim against the pages linked under Sources. Found a mistake? Tell us via the corrections policy.