We all knew this day was coming, and now it’s almost upon us. Yes, pretty soon, we can all go and buy stuff on Twitter. The hugely popular social network has announced that it is now road-testing the “Buy” button that would allow users to make purchases while inside Twitter. They are trying it out on a percentage of US-based accounts and on several artists, brands and charities just to see how the public would respond and how easy and secure it is, as they claim.
Twitter says that users will be able to make purchases with just a few taps. When you see the buy button and click on it, you’ll get to see a few more details about the product you want to purchase, like its specifications, size, color, etc. On the same page, you will need to enter the shipping information as well as your credit card details. Once you’ve confirmed all the details, the information will then be sent to the specified merchant for processing and delivery. Some of the accounts being tested out are those for Demi Lovato, GLAAD, Home Depot, Pharrel, RED and many other brands, artists and charities.
The information you’ve provided will be “encrypted and safely stored” so that when you make your next transaction, you don’t need to put it in all over again. Of course entering details like that will make you worried, given how hackers are getting wiser and shrewder but Twitter assures that the information is “processed securely” and isn’t shared with other sellers without your permission. But this is a risk that we all take with all online transactions, so it’s up to you whether you’ll trust Twitter or not.
Now what this means to social networking in general still remains to be seen. Some see it as a death knell to the joy of browsing through your Twitter feed without being harassed by online sellers. It will probably be disruptive at times, but if people who have no intention of buying can see past that, then it wouldn’t hurt to have that option for those who are interested in making purchases eventually. Let’s wait and see how this plays out.
SOURCE: Twitter
