Pinterest Reveals Its Ideas For A "Buy" Button

Pinterest has recently opened up its platform just a teeny weeny bit to third party developers, but it's no secret that it wants really big, not to mention profitable, brands to join the party. And what better way to entice them than by putting big buttons that let users instantly buy, or at least even wish for, those pinteresting pinned products. That is precisely the plan that is months in the making, which Pinterest has finally somewhat confirmed in a presentation for developers who would be making this into reality.

No, Pinterest isn't going to become a shopping platform. It'll be more like the social equivalent of a digital catalog. It will partner with retailers like Amazon or brands that have their own online store to actually take care of those transactions. All that Pinterest will do is to make it all happen with just one click. Or tap, in the case of mobile.

Actually, Pinterest already allows users to buy interesting items, albeit very indirectly. Clicking on a pin will take users to the web page of the product, where they can go through the usual buying process. It involves a few more steps and, in the case of multiple item pins, a lot more work. The idea behind a "Buy" button on a Pin would be to automate all of that to some extent. Imagine an interesting recipe you're convinced you can cook. Of course, it has more than 1 or even 2 ingredients, and it would take more time to put them all in a checkout basket. A single Buy button would then automatically add all those into the basket and then take you to the checkout confirmation.

It doesn't even have to be an immediate purchase. The same process can be done for Wish Lists on Amazon, for example, immediately letting others know that you do want those shoes for Christmas. Or Thanksgiving, which is closer.

It might be a simple feature but it could mean a world of difference to both users and merchants. Any regular Pinterest user will testify that easily re-pinning interesting stuff is what makes the social network so addicting. Imagine harnessing that convenience in the service of e-commerce. Pinterest is, of course, hoping exactly for that.

VIA: TechCrunch