Shopping With Facebook

On Tuesday 3^rd May Express, the American fashion retailer headquartered in Ohio and New York, became one of the first major US fashion retailers to sell their entire catalogue on Facebook. 

Following in the footsteps of UK retailers ASOS and Young British Designs, Express have now made it possible for customers to browse and purchase their products through their Facebook page.  The Express inventory, pricing, wish lists and comments are all synced across Express’s other web and mobile sites in order to create a streamlined shopping experience across all platforms. 

Ultimately, the Facebook feature is designed to make shopping for customers as personal as possible and once again highlights the benefits in using social media to advertise products and connect with customer base. 

Through the Express Facebook page customers are able to “like” different products, post comments and recommendations on items of clothing that they like or dislike and post their purchases on their Facebook walls, thus informing all of their friends about their shopping activity.  Users are able to access all of these functions without having to even “like” the Express page in the first page, therefore making it accessible to all Facebook users.

Although initial feedback on the functionality of the Facebook page remains mixed, with some users commenting negatively on the layout and description of the products, it is safe to say that Express and ASOS will not be the only major retailers using social media platforms such as Facebook to directly sell their products. 

It is therefore as important as ever that companies begin to use social media sites such as Facebook to connect with their customers, not only to advertise and market their brand or products but to also directly sell them. 

For more information about the benefits of social media please visit Pipon's website at www.piponsolutions.com