Facebook and Instagram already allow brands to sell directly through the app, using product catalogs. Now, it's Snapchat's turn to join the race. Evan Spiegel's social network has recently launched the Snap Store within the Discover section of the app, where it sells Snap-related merchandising.

This new functionality follows the new objective of the social network to position itself as a vehicle for brands to reach the public in a medium that combines commercial and social experiences.

Recently, Nike's Jordan Brand and Snapchat staged a mega-proportional business partnership by pre-launching the new Air Jordan III "Tinker" model with same-day delivery following the NBA All-Star game. This was the first time a brand sold a product through Snapchat.

Those attending a Jordan Brand event following the big game were able to use their mobile phone cameras to scan a unique code that directed them to Snapchat, where they could purchase the new tennis shoes, whose official release date is only 24 March.

But how does buying through Snapchat work? Everything is possible thanks to an integration with Shopify. The sneakers were delivered to customers on the same day through a new start-up company called Darkhorse.

This was an excellent initiative from Nike, that wanted to mark the 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan's slam dunk in 1988, probably the most famous "slam dunk" in NBA history. For Snapchat it was also a very successful first experiment, proving that social networks can play an active role in e-commerce.