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James Martin/CNET
Twitter is going to incorporate a way for users to easily buy things directly from its network later this year, according to a report Friday from Recode.
The social network is partnering with Stripe, a payments services company, to integrate a “buy” button into tweets, unnamed sources told Recode.
It is expected that the button will let users enter in payment and shipping information without leaving Twitter, allowing businesses to sell their products directly from tweets with Stripe powering the transaction.
Twitter and Stripe did not respond to requests for comment.
The direct move into e-commerce would solidify earlier reports of a “buy” button. The button was spotted in a tweet from social e-commerce site Fancy’s Twitter account in June. It’s not surprising Twitter wants to get into e-commerce. Acting as a marketplace can give the company a solid revenue stream if it can leverage the attention of its loyal users.
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- Facebook tests ‘buy’ button on ads
- Why Amazon wants you to use hashtags to shop
Shopping through social media is still nascent, but interest is growing among brands looking for another channel to hawk their wares and gain awareness among consumers. The Internet’s largest retailer Amazon has already started testing the potential of e-commerce through Twitter, by allowing users to add items to their Amazon shopping car by replying to a tweet of a product link with the hashtag #AmazonCart.
Other social media sites are also banking on shoppers. Fashion-centric Polyvore has long entwined itself with brands, while Facebook has tried multiple ways to tackle e-commerce, including the recent test of “buy” buttons embedded in ads.
While Twitter’s text-friendly form may seem less likely to attract shoppers, that isn’t stopping brands from trying. Startup Chirpify has been running shopping campaigns on several social media sites, including Twitter, allowing users to purchase items by simply tweeting a keyword.
