Facebook has begun testing a buy button which lets users purchase products advertised on the social network. Meanwhile, Twitter is also stepping up its commerce game, acquiring payments outfit CardSpring.
Facebook users on desktop or mobile can now click a buy call-to-action button on ads and page posts to purchase a product directly from a business, without leaving the social network. Users can pay with a card that Facebook already has on file or enter new details and save them for future use or have them forgotten. No payment details are shared with advertisers. So far, the system is only being tested with a few small and medium-sized businesses in the US.
Separately, Twitter is also looking to strengthen its commerce credentials, buying CardSpring for an undisclosed fee. CardSpring provides an API designed to make it easy for developers to link digital applications to payment cards. It is expected that CardSpring’s technology will help merchants offer discounts in tweets, with customers entering their card details so that when they make a purchase at a later date, the saving is automatically applied.
