Facebook tests ‘buy’ button to help companies drive sales

Menlo Park, Calif. – Facebook is testing a new “buy” button designed to help businesses drive sales through Facebook in News Feed and on Pages. With this feature, people on desktop or mobile can click the “Buy” call-to-action button on ads and page posts to purchase a product directly from a business, without leaving Facebook.

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Facebook said in a brief post on its website that the buy button was designed with privacy in mind and that it has taken steps to help make the payment experience safe and secure. None of the credit or debit card information people share with Facebook when completing a transaction will be shared with other advertisers, and people can select whether or not they’d like to save payment information for future purchases. The current test is limited to a few small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S.



If Facebook can overcome consumer privacy concerns, the buy button could be a huge boost in its viability as a direct e-commerce platform. Many retailers do offer direct purchase capability from their Facebook pages, but a buy button embedded in ads and posts will make the purchase process much easier and more top-of-mind for consumers.