Facebook is working with several retailers to test out a new feature for the social network, a ‘Want’ button. Facebook has named the feature Collections and it may lead to the company’s role online expanding further.
The groups of retailers includes Pottery Barn and Victoria’s secret and the new ‘Want’ button in the works will allow users to tag products that they are interested in in order to create a wishlist of sorts. There is a possibility that this feature may lead to some sort of ecommerce functionality coming to Facebook, it is believed.
Facebook said in a statement “People will be able to engage with these collections and share things they are interested in with their friends. People can click through and buy these items off of Facebook.” According to a Facebook spokesperson the company will not be receiving any fees or commissions should a user buy a product through the site.
The eventual plan is for the ‘Want’ feature to be offered to all American Facebook users but, for the moment, the company is restricting those involved in testing to seeing either the ‘Want’ button, an invitation to “collect” items or giving them the option to ‘Like’ someone else’s tagged products.
Source: Reuters