Twitter Takes Next Steps Into eCommerce With Test of Shopping Module on Business Profiles

A new article on Social Media Today reports that after launching an initial test of Professional Profiles for brands back in April, Twitter is now making a move towards the next stage of its business push, with a new ‘Shop Module’ now also being tested with a selection of brands in the US.

“The Shop Module is a dedicated space at the top of a profile where businesses can showcase their products. When people visit a profile with the Shop Module enabled, they can scroll through the carousel of products and tap through on a single product to learn more and purchase — seamlessly in an in-app browser, without having to leave Twitter. We’re starting small with a handful of brands in the United States. People in the U.S. who use Twitter in English on iOS devices will be able to see the Shop Module.

We believe in the power of the conversations that Twitter facilitates around products. With this pilot, we’ll get to explore how our engaged, responsive and chatty audience reacts to products that are emotionally charged — like a new jersey from your favorite sports team — or that provide lasting impact — like a new skincare regimen. And, fundamentally, it’ll give us the chance to keep learning about which shopping experiences people prefer on Twitter.

As we learn, we’re creating deeper partnerships with businesses that reflect whom we’re building for with a new Merchant Advisory Board. The board will consist of brands that have established themselves as best-in-class examples of merchants on Twitter. With their partnership, we hope to more easily address the needs of businesses of any size or vertical in our product innovation.”

Virtually all social platforms are now looking into how they can incorporate shopping elements in order to keep users on-platform for longer. Twitter’s been experimenting with various forms of add-ons that users would have to pay to access. Twitter Blue, of course, is the highest-profile example thus far, with users paying a monthly fee for additional tweet features, including ‘Undo Send’ and Reader Mode.

Even Twitter’s Professional Profiles may become a paid option, as the platform looks for more ways to generate revenue as part of its broader push to double its revenue by 2023. Would brands pay to access additional professional features?

Would you pay to add a Shop display on your Twitter profile?