Collections: Facebook Tests eCommerce Features

Similar to Pinterest, Facebook will add more options for electronic commerce that will try to suit the business needs of retailers.

Recently, Facebook announced it plans to test a few new buttons on its social platform. The new feature will bear the name “Collections” and it will be retail-oriented.

Sources claim that Facebook will add two more buttons to both personal and retail pages. They will be called “Want” and “Collect”. At the beginning, only a limited number of retailers will be able to use this feature. Among them are Pottery Barn, Smith Optics, Fab.com, Wayfair, Victoria’s Secret, Neiman Marcus and Michael Kors. With the new button “Want” people will be able to include a product of a company on their so-called “Wishlist”.

The other feature, “Collect” will function differently. For example, let’s say that one of the companies posts a collection of new products on Facebook. With the new options, users cannot only “Like” it, but they can also “Collect” it. When people select the “Collect” button, the product will automatically be added to the user’s “Collection”. After that the product will appear on the person’s timeline so that everyone can see it. In addition, Facebook will add a “Buy” button which users can apply when they want to purchase a certain product.

According to the latest updates, Facebook will not get a share of the sales made through the FB Collection. This policy is different from the other new feature of the social media – Facebook Gift. With it Facebook manages internet transactions.

These new Facebook features are actually quite similar to those of its competitor Pinterest. Now both of the sites will allow people to build and show galleries of things they like. But will Facebook’s move towards a more visual social media affect Pinterest’s position? Only time will show…