Facebook set to grow its commerce offering

Sharing its commerce capabilities, Facebook has detailed a plethora of new features aimed at boosting user engagement. 

Most notably the new measures will see the launch of a Facebook Shop app, which allows users of the platform to sign in with the sole purpose of commerce.  

The social media giant is in the midst of trialling the app and its feasibility in the US market. The firm is expected to expand the reach of Facebook Shop to a wider range of business in the near future. 

Furthermore, Facebook is also seeking to place a deepened focus on efficiency as it accelerates the checkout process of Facebook Shop to coincide with the marketplace’s planned growth.

The expansion comes as the desire for digital marketplaces amongst consumers grows exponentially, in no small part due to the coronavirus and lockdown of retail shops that have been felt globally. 

As well as this, Facebook’s expansion of its marketplace also seeks to add an extra element of social interaction allowing chat features via its messenger platform. A factor that also helps elevate the relationship between merchant and consumers. 

Earlier in the year when Facebook commenced with its expansion into the commerce space, the site offered the following update on its corporate website: “For years, people have used our apps to buy and sell things from the early days of posting a photo of a bicycle with the caption “for sale,” to selling your coffee table on Marketplace and now shopping styles from your favourite brands and influencers on Instagram. It was the people who use our apps who envisioned social commerce. We’re helping them make it a reality. 

“We want to give people a place to experience the joy of shopping versus the chore of buying. And we want to help small businesses adapt and make it easier for people to discover and shop for things they love.

“Right now many small businesses are struggling, and with stores closing, more are looking to bring their business online. Our goal is to make shopping seamless and empower anyone from a small business owner to a global brand to use our apps to connect with customers. That’s why we’re launching Facebook Shops and investing in features across our apps that inspire people to shop and make buying and selling online easier.”