Facebook Tests Collections Feature
Facebook are testing a variety of new ways for their users to interact with products on the news feed pages, a feature they are calling “Collections”.
Seven retailers – Pottery Barn, Wayfair, Victoria’s Secret, Michael Kors, Neiman Marcus, Smith Optics and Fab.com – have created collections online which "People will be able to engage with”, sharing things from the collections that “they are interested in with their friends”, Facebook have stated.
Many critics have flagged up the new feature’s similarities with Pinterest, Todd Wasserman of Mashable calling it “a fairly transparent hedge” of the online pinboard, as both display pictures of products and allow users to create wish lists. Many also believe that Facebook will combine Collections with the recently acquired Instagram in order to further utilise the marketing power of pictures.
Three new buttons have been released onto US servers, each targeted towards one of “three distinct groups of users”, with one group “to test each action". The familiar “Like” remains, but has been updated to challenge the new “Want” and “Collect” for worldwide release.
The updated “Like” button, when pressed, will display the chosen product on the user's Timeline. If a user clicks the “Want” button on a product they will be prompted to state the reason. After the user has stated a reason the product will appear on their news feed with a notification that the users wants it.
The “Collect” button will add products to the users personal collection, again notifying their friends of the action via the news feed.
Rumours of a “Buy” option have also surfaced, as Facebook search for a new way to secure revenue after their share prices fell 2.4 per cent last Monday. Robert W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian has commented on the potential of e-commerce as a source of internet revenue, so a successful beta test of the new “Like”, “Want” and “Collect” buttons may see Facebook trialing a button which allows users to directly purchase products which appear on their news feeds.
What do you think of Facebook Collections?
Leave your comments below or contact us on Twitter.
Will Sigsworth
Follow us @SocialMediaF & @WillAtSMF
www.socialmediafrontiers.com
Seven retailers – Pottery Barn, Wayfair, Victoria’s Secret, Michael Kors, Neiman Marcus, Smith Optics and Fab.com – have created collections online which "People will be able to engage with”, sharing things from the collections that “they are interested in with their friends”, Facebook have stated.
Many critics have flagged up the new feature’s similarities with Pinterest, Todd Wasserman of Mashable calling it “a fairly transparent hedge” of the online pinboard, as both display pictures of products and allow users to create wish lists. Many also believe that Facebook will combine Collections with the recently acquired Instagram in order to further utilise the marketing power of pictures.
Three new buttons have been released onto US servers, each targeted towards one of “three distinct groups of users”, with one group “to test each action". The familiar “Like” remains, but has been updated to challenge the new “Want” and “Collect” for worldwide release.
The “Collect” button will add products to the users personal collection, again notifying their friends of the action via the news feed.
Rumours of a “Buy” option have also surfaced, as Facebook search for a new way to secure revenue after their share prices fell 2.4 per cent last Monday. Robert W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian has commented on the potential of e-commerce as a source of internet revenue, so a successful beta test of the new “Like”, “Want” and “Collect” buttons may see Facebook trialing a button which allows users to directly purchase products which appear on their news feeds.
What do you think of Facebook Collections?
Leave your comments below or contact us on Twitter.
Will Sigsworth
Follow us @SocialMediaF & @WillAtSMF
www.socialmediafrontiers.com
Facebook Tests Collections Feature
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Rating:
Unknown
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