Do you really “Want” the button?
Oct 15th, 2012 by Siew Ying
I saw the news that recently Facebook is looking into integrating a “want” button onto its system so that users can have a wishlist of the products that are posted by retailers. Facebook is testing this system on several retailers such as Victoria Secret and Michael Kors. Besides the want button, Facebook has the entire collection feature that allows users to “like”, “want” and “collect” the visual items that they see online.
That looks like this, as the picture below:
Also, Facebook is considering of offering the service of allowing users to buy the items off Facebook promptly. It seems like a great feature that allows more interaction between users and retailers on Facebook.
Regardless, I personally think that Facebook is gearing towards retailers’ needs instead of enhancing its platform for us the “ordinary” users. The new “Collection Feature” that is introduced by Facebook only caters the needs of retailers. Yes, users will click the “want” button when they see something that catches their attention on the retailers’ page. However, one of the concerns that I have is that whether it fits Facebook users’ purposes of logging into their Facebook or not. To me, Facebook is a platform that connects my family & friends and I. It is more like a casual site for me to reconnect with my high school friends, to update my family on the other side of the world, or to invite some friends to my birthday bash. Offering me products that are available for purchase on Facebook seems a little sketchy to me now. I don’t see myself shopping or purchasing Michael Kors bag or a bedframe from Wayfair on Facebook. All these seems so new to me because Facebook has not involve cash transaction on its website yet other than some games that are offered on the site. Maybe maybe… I will start accepting the new features when I see more benefits to me on this system.
If the new feature is set to be launched, I say that Facebook would have a hard time in the first few months in persuading users to make their first purchase of products on Facebook. It would be nice if Facebook offers flexibility for us users in changing the settings of this features, at least it gives users a bigger transition phase to switch from “purely” social networking site to a social commerce era.
Source:
http://allfacebook.com/want-button-collect-button-like-button_b102097