Twitter launches 'buy' button
by Laura Heller |
Shoppers can now purchase products directly from their Twitter feeds with the official launch of the long-awaited "buy" button.
A small percentage of U.S. users will be testing the program, a number that is expected to grow over time, according to the social media company. Participating vendors include retail, entertainment and consumer product companies. Burberry and The Home Depot (NYSE:HD) are among those testing the program.
Here's how it works: Shoppers tap the "buy" button, receive additional product details and are prompted to enter shipping and payment information. Once confirmed, the order information is sent to the merchant for processing.
Twitter users will only see the shoppable tweets if they are following that brand or artist, and the medium could lend itself well to flash sales and limited-time offers, according to Re/code.
The entire process is completed in a few taps and works with both iPhone and Android apps, according to Twitter. The feature also saves users' payment and personal information for future purchases after the first sale.
Although the sellers already participating are few, Twitter's much-anticipated in-feed purchasing option is expected to expand quickly as the holiday season approaches.
In-tweet shopping isn't entirely new. Amazon began allowing shoppers to link their accounts to Twitter in May and place items in their Amazon shopping cart by responding to a hashtag in the retailer's Twitter feed.
-See this Twitter announcement
-See this Re/code story
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Laura Heller