In an unpredictable — but not exactly surprising — move, Facebook has begun testing its newest feature: the Facebook store.
Expect the Unexpected With Facebook
Tech companies are always trying to find a way to expand their services in order to stay as relevant as possible, so it really isn’t all that surprising that Facebook is looking to do the same. Currently still in testing, the Facebook store is limited to less than 100 participating companies. It’s a small test for what the company hopes to be a foray into a very lucrative future.
How is This Going to Work?
Details about the new Facebook stores are surprisingly light and the testing phase raises more questions than it answers. While products are planning to be displayed on a special shop section of the trader’s page, the company hasn’t directly confirmed whether or not Facebook will be the actual platform that will host the transactions.
Facebook has been experimenting with “Buy” buttons placed on the pages of the products, and users aren’t expected to have to actually leave the site in order to complete the transactions either. Instead, a transaction should be able to be completed via a checkout method involving the money transfer capabilities of Facebook Messenger.
A Positive Change for Advertisers
While many people would call Facebook a social media site, the idea of a Facebook store reinforces the idea that it is here to sell advertising space. Working in conjunction with the ad space it already sells to companies, the idea that users can purchase a product directly from an ad hosted on Facebook is certainly appealing.
As of right now there won’t be any commissions or fees associated with transactions in order to help facilitate a smooth launch, though there is no guarantee that these won’t be introduced sometime in the future.
Facebook Store May Breed a Weariness of the Future
These days it seems Facebook is catering more and more to business-related features of the site. The introduction of e-commerce via the Facebook store raises some concerns among users such as safety concerns and the development of user social features falling to the wayside. While the social media giant certainly has a potential for success, there is no guarantee than a large enough portion of its users will be interested in shopping on a Facebook store.
What are the chances you’ll find yourself making a purchase off the Facebook store?
