Facebook as a store front

[Karolina]

I've been lately reading quite a lot about Facebook stores. However, I'm not sure how they exactly work? Do you need any special application to have your eshop there?

I also wonder if that's at all useful for shop owner? Do you expect that such a store front could leverage sales significantly?

I'd appreciate your opinion and also some external articles on the topic

 

[leepaulkennedy]

Hi Karolina,

Personally, I don't think your going to see a huge uplift in sales. I think a Facebook page should be kept for engaging with customers, creating a community and if they want to purchase something they will be able to click on your URL. Here is a tutorial written about setting up a Facebook Store http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=448407967781

You will need to install an application, here are a couple (not tried any of them personally) http://www.facebook.com/payvment / http://www.facebook.com/ShopTabApp

Few articles on the topic:
List of the top 50 Facebook Stores:
http://socialcommercetoday.com/top-50-facebook-stores-top-20-facebook-store-solutions/

Facebook stores get same sales rates as website:
http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-stores-get-same-sales-rates-as-websites-2011-03

Think that should help you out,
Lee

 

[Karolina]

Thanks very much It's extremely useful
But I'm still wondering, there are plenty of people there. And if they can buy straight away what they like, without moving to another website, then shouldn't it create more sales?

 

[leepaulkennedy]

Thanks very much It's extremely useful
But I'm still wondering, there are plenty of people there. And if they can buy straight away what they like, without moving to another website, then shouldn't it create more sales?

People not trust purchasing through Facebook (its a new type of commerce and the average consumer takes time to adapt)

Secondly, if you look at Facebook stores, they arnt easy to navigate, search through - a decent website will make it much easier to find the product your after.

If your just after making sales ASAP then you've got nothing to lose setting up a Facebook store, but I would keep Facebook for building a community.

 

[tommy]

Karolina,

You don't have to use the Facebook Payments to have a store on Facebook. YOu could setup a store which is fixed to the width of the facebook pages and just feed your site in from there and people are just in effect visting your shop via a facebook iframe which is still searchable via Facebook search.

Plus as you need to supply a https and http version version of your URL now for a facebook page you know that they are going to be secure purchasing through your existing payment gateway.

Tom

 

[Karolina]

Tommy,

Thanks a lot. I didn't know that it was possible It seems like a great solution.

 

[ovhk]

Karolina,

You don't have to use the Facebook Payments to have a store on Facebook. YOu could setup a store which is fixed to the width of the facebook pages and just feed your site in from there and people are just in effect visting your shop via a facebook iframe which is still searchable via Facebook search.

Plus as you need to supply a https and http version version of your URL now for a facebook page you know that they are going to be secure purchasing through your existing payment gateway.

Tom

hi tom
can facebook store though paypal payment?

 

[tommy]

hi tom
can facebook store though paypal payment?

I believe you can pay for Facebook credits via paypal.

But if you are referencing what I said above, then yes as all you are doing is displaying your site via the facebook iFrame so you are just connecting to your websites paypal gateway.

Tom

 

[ovhk]

I believe you can pay for Facebook credits via paypal.

But if you are referencing what I said above, then yes as all you are doing is displaying your site via the facebook iFrame so you are just connecting to your websites paypal gateway.

Tom

TOM thank you suggest i will try it.but how open facebook store ?

 

[bargainmania]

You can use the link below
http://www.buildmyeshop.com/eshopfacebook/

 

[j600com]

We've launched a few fb stores ( e.g www.facebook.com/designerdesirablesuk ) I wouldn't advise it as your main/sole online store - the potential is certainly there due to volume but conversions from Facebook are low as it's not yet seen as a shopping platform but obviously over time that may change.

But even that aside in my opinion it's a bad idea locking yourself into something like fb without having your own separate (main) retail site, its like locking yourself into amazon etc. where it could become your achillies heel if they eventually they may start retailing themselves or hiking up the rates etc. You need your own platform/site so that you are in full control and should something happen to fb youve not built your business on it.

 

[bargainmania]

Dear bargainmania

Facebook is very useful for running business on line , you can show all details as a video , and many people go on it , you can advertise for your on line shop , dear ,

we are professional supplier of spare parts and accessories for Ipad ,Iphone ,blackberry and HTC (PDA),

Dakotch hu

Dear Dakotch hu

Cool am glad we got that sorted

 

[cjsdh]

I also want to know how to open stores in the Facebook and promote your site?

 

[Idontbuy]

Would Google look at a Facebook store and your own website as duplicate content?

 

[viraldealnetwork]

I think the Facebook stores look quite cool (from the examples from this forum) and I think they are an excellent form of marketing, but should not be relied on.