World's largest online retailer Amazon.com
Amazon is now offering its shoppers a connect with Facebook accounts that allows movement of Facebook friends to Amazon to get recommendations from friends on what to buy.
Amazon says shopping is as much about socializing as it is about buying something. Shopping gives a chance for people to run into their friends and neighbors at the mall, and Amazon believes that shoppers inevitably ask for advice from friends before buying, which is hard to get when shopping online.
Amazon, which was offering shopping recommendations to its customers based on previous purchases and product searches, has been slow to incorporate social features, while start-ups like GoTryItOn, Polyvore, and Swipely have already made online shopping more interactive, the report said.
After connecting their Amazon and Facebook accounts, shoppers are able to see their Facebook profile photo on Amazon.com. Shoppers get recommendations about their Facebook friends celebrating birthdays, and also get gift suggestions, which could be music, books, and movies based on what they said they like on Facebook and on their Amazon wish lists.
Shoppers also see recommendations on what to buy for themselves, based on what their friends like.
Amazon said it will not share its shopping activity with Facebook, but it hopes to help its customers find friends with shared interests while shopping.
The online retailer also clarified that shoppers' purchase history and account information will not appear on Facebook.
International Business Times, The Global Business News Leader
