Facebook is testing a new method of e-payment on their platform, with a new buy button.
The option will be available on desktop and mobile, and will let people buy products through their Newsfeed and on Pages.
This all happens within the confines of Facebook, without having to go to the company’s website, or follow a link.
Facebook said they hope the new feature will “help businesses drive sales”.
In a blog post, the social network said they “built this feature with privacy in mind”, and have introduced a number of steps to make sure the payment is safe and secure.
They stress that no credit or debit card information will be shared with advertisers.
You can also choose whether to have your payment details saved for future purchases, or to erase them after a product is bought.
Facebook tested the e-commerce waters in 2012, with a Gifts feature that allowed users to send physical gifts, but this was closed down after a year.
A source told Reuters that Facebook is not taking revenue from products sold through the buy button, and it is managed by a “third-party payment processing company.”
Back in April, reports emerged that Facebook had filed for regulatory approval in Ireland to build a mobile payments system.
Sources said this would allow Facebook users to upload money, pay for services and exchange it with other users.
Twitter has also made a move into e-commerce, recently hiring Ticketmaster executive Nathan Hubbard, to examine ways for consumers to buy products directly through tweets.
Amazon already have a service in place where customers can add an item to their shopping through a hashtag.
The Facebook buy button feature is currently available for a limited number of small and medium sized businesses in the US.
The ability to offer a subscription deal with a single click on Facebook would be of huge benefit to online dating sites.
However, unless Facebook change their policy towards dating sites, there are only a few companies who could reap these rewards, if the feature is expanded and becomes widely available.