US online and physical games retailer GameStop is one of a number large retailers taking part in a trial that sees Twitter turning its platform on to ecommerce.
According to reports, A dozen US retailers will be able to market up to five products at the top of their Twitter profiles. Users then swipe between products and click to visit the retailer’s website to make a purchase.
Twitter won’t be processing the sales and won’t take a cut of any revenue generated by the new feature, relying instead on the ad revenue from the placement.
The social media company has been teasing its interest in shopping for months, aiming to catch up with other social-media platforms that offer ecommerce options.
“We know people come to Twitter to interact with brands and discuss their favorite products,” says Bruce Falck, head of Twitter’s revenue product team. “Imagine easily discovering and quickly purchasing a new skin-care product or trendy sneaker from a brand you follow, with only a few clicks.”
This isn’t Twitters first foray into ecommerce. Back in 2014 it introduced ‘Buy buttons’ into tweets, but that was shelved when it failed to ignite. The new move, however, comes as social media starts to play an increased role in consumer shopping habits and looks to play alongside Instagram and its parent Facebook, both of which are increasingly leveraging their platforms for sales.
