Amazon is getting into the social-networking scene by teaming up with Facebook to let shoppers see what their friends are buying or want to buy.
The marketplace introduced a service on Monday that allows users to connect their Amazon and Facebook accounts to generate an Amazon Facebook page. The page will show users which of their Facebook friends have upcoming birthdays, their corresponding Amazon Wish Lists and popular items their friends have purchased.
Amazon will make its own recommendations for shoppers using buyers' Facebook profiles, which users can also edit right from their Amazon Facebook pages.
However, Amazon assures buyers it will not be intrusive by contacting a user's Facebook friends.
To enable Amazon Facebook pages, Amazon users must log into their accounts and click the "Enable Facebook from Amazon" button in the upper right corner. Once connected, users can access this page by clicking the "See Your Amazon Facebook Page" button on the right. Users can disconnect the two accounts at any time.
This is a big step for Amazon, according to reports. While the popular marketplace was one of the first companies to offer recommendations and user-generated reviews on its site, it lagged behind smaller sites like GoTryItOn.com and Polyvore.com when it came to offering social features.
Auctiva staff writers constantly monitor trends and best practices of those selling on eBay and elsewhere online. They attend relevant training seminars and trade shows and regularly discuss the market with PowerSellers and other market experts.
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