Hold onto your rapidly shrinking wallets — Twitter is introducing a new way to shop, all without leaving the microblogging service. That’s right, a “buy” button will now be nestled among those 140 characters. Right in time for Christmas, am I right?
Twitter announced the new feature Monday (September 8) via its blog, explaining that it’s launching the “buy” button with the likes of Eminem, Panic! At The Disco, Pharrell, Paramore and Wiz Khalifa — to name a very few accounts, which also include organizations like GLAAD and brands like Burberry.
So how exactly will you be able to buy, say, Em’s new single while scanning passive aggressive tweets from your ex and checking in with Miley Cyrus’ new art habit?
Basically, soon you’ll see a new “buy” button popping up in tweets from the aforementioned accounts, which will offer up products, services and opportunities that one can only purchase within Twitter. After tapping “buy,” you’ll be asked to enter in the usual payment info (address, credit card number, etc) — all without leaving Twitter. Once you’ve bought one item, this info will autofill and you’ll be able to spend money with a click from there on out. Dangerous, to be sure, if you’re as into buying special edition music merchandise as much as I am.
Still, for bands, this feature could be a boon — as artists with a strong social following will be able to more easily get concert tickets and tunes in the hands of the people who want them most.
This isn’t the first time users have been able to buy products within Twitter, however — commerce platform Chirpify previously made this possible, notably teaming up with Green Day to sell tunes during the 2012 VMAs.
What do you think? Would you impulse-buy via a tweet?
Brenna Ehrlich
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