Snapchat unveiled its new Lenses feature in September, which provides users a way to use selfie filters to spice up their run-of-the-mill images and animations into fun photos. On November 13, Friday the video messaging application opened a "lens store" that lets people purchase lenses for 99 cents each.
Snapchat's Lenses have become quite popular, and the company reported they are used in 10 million snaps per day. That is among about 100 million daily users.
A company spokeswoman Mary Ritti shared in an email that the Snapchat community loves the lenses. They also wanted to keep them longer than a couple of days.
The lens store's launch showed that the company wants in-app purchases to become a second key source of revenue after ads. Other companies such as Facebook and Tinder are also adding new features to earn more revenue from extra functions.
Brands can also "sponsor" lenses, as Fox did with its "The Peanuts Movie" promotions. Snapchat hopes to earn $50 million in revenue this year, according to The Verge.
Unlike other sites Snapchat does not use highly-targeted advertising. Instead, it provides its main features for free, and charges for extra ones such as a buck for selfie filters.
A big benefit of the lens store is that shoppers can keep them forever. The Snapchat app is based on "ephemerality," which means that more shared content such as photos and videos can be accessed if they are viewed within a period of time, according to Los Angeles Times.
Snapchat has recently offered another 99-cent option. Users can buy 3 extra views of disappearing messages for about $1.