Buy Through Facebook

The new feature will allow online retailers to advertise on News Feeds and Pages will feature an additional ‘buy’ button. This new button will allow users to directly buy items from their desktops or mobiles without having to leave the Facebook website. Once selected the desired item, a dialog box will pop up on the user’s Facebook and ask for payment and shipping details. Facebook will then transfer the payment information to the online retailer so that the delivery can be made. Facebook stresses the importance of privacy stating, ‘’to help make the payment experience safe and secure none of the credit or debit card information people share with Facebook when completing a transaction with be shared with other advertisers and people can select whether or not they’d like to save payment information for future purchases’’. Facebook is trying to ensure that when shopping through the site, the process is as safe as possible.

The process in getting the ‘buy’ button into action, Facebook has started to test out the mechanism with a few small and medium sized businesses within the US, looking for feedback and response from users.

Previously, in 2011 Facebook had tried to launch a program similar to the new ‘Buy’ button, which role was to simplify the online buying process and keep its users on the site. One of first luxury labels that supported the idea was Oscar de la Renta; the luxury fashion label launched a shopping experience on Facebook in collaboration with social commerce solution 8^th Bridge. However following a lack of interest and a suprising failed success, CEO Alex Bolen decided the end the deal with Facebook.

Facebook hope that this new addition will begin expanding the world of online retailing, hoping to cause an increase to sales through its rapid number of regular users Facebook. Not only will this benefit retailers, Facebook hope the new feature will also help in keeping users on the social media site.

 

Words Dana Rutner