In a bid to get a piece of the $45 billion U.S. industry for so-called social commerce, Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) said on Wednesday that it will experiment with allowing enterprises to showcase up to 50 products for sale on their accounts, as part of a pilot programme.
Facebook and Instagram, which are owned by Meta Platforms Inc. (FB.O), have long been pioneers in social commerce, allowing businesses to build up virtual storefronts and sell their wares to customers on social media.
According to the company, the beta test for Twitter Shops will be available for select businesses in the United States and will be visible to anyone who are using the Twitter iPhone app, which will be available in the coming weeks.
On Wednesday, the Twitter shop of the United States’ cellphone carrier Verizon (VZ.N), which is one of the test partners, displayed iPhone cases and wireless chargers.
After viewing a product on Twitter, consumers are sent to the merchant’s website where they can complete their purchase.
A prior feature, which Twitter began testing last year and allows firms to promote up to five goods at the top of their Twitter profiles, is being expanded through this experiment.
The San Francisco-based firm is also experimenting with live-streamed shopping, which allows users to purchase clothing, accessories, and other items while simultaneously viewing live videos from the brand about the products. The company is also experimenting with live-streamed shopping.
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