Sunday Times 2
Shop while you stalk
Facebook is testing a new ‘buy’ button on its website that will let consumers purchase and pay for products without having to leave the site.
The button wil appear in ads, and take users to a page to process their payment.
Facebook's new buy button will allow people to buy without having to leave Facebook's app (Reuters)
The new service, which Facebook described as a test with a ‘few small and medium-sized businesses’ in the United States, represents the Internet social networking company’s latest effort to play a bigger role in the e-commerce business.
Facebook said its new Buy button will be available on the mobile and desktop PC version of its website and will allow consumers to purchase goods directly from participating businesses.
‘None of the credit or debit card information people share with Facebook when completing a transaction will be shared with other advertisers, and people can select whether or not they’d like to save payment information for future purchases,’ the company said in a blog post.
Facebook is not currently taking any portion of the revenue for products sold with the Buy button, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Credit card transactions will be handled by a third-party payment processing company, the person said.
Facebook in 2012 introduced a way for its users to buy their friends gifts such as socks and teddy bears.
However, Facebook stopped selling physical goods through the service after a year, letting consumers buy only gift cards instead.
‘We’ve built this feature with privacy in mind, and have taken steps to help make the payment experience safe and secure, the firm said.
‘None of the credit or debit card information people share with Facebook when completing a transaction will be shared with other advertisers, and people can select whether or not they’d like to save payment information for future purchases.’
© Daily Mail, London