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Hi all,

I’ve blogged previously about business becoming more social, but given an ever increasing focus on social media in 2012, I thought it would be a good time to add a post on Realex Payments’s Facebook integration; obviously the more channels you can offer prospective customers to buy from, the better.

If you’re new to selling on Facebook, check out this nifty video on Social Commerce Today, which explains the basic premise behind selling on Facebook or Fcommerce. First and foremost when you’re starting out, it’s vital to launch a store with the right strategy and plan – like anything else in life!

Focus on not just recreating your existing online store on facebook, but providing an exclusive or special experience your Facebook fans/likes can’t get elsewhere. A recent example of this was Heniz creating customised cans with peoples names, for use as presents, an option not available on their website. (Who wouldn’t want a personalised can of soup?!)

Launching a new range is also an excellent use of a facebook store or setting up a store for a particular event such as Tesco UK’s recent pop up halloween shop.

Another important point to consider is that although Facebook is well established as a social network, in terms of a sales channel it is at an early stage of adoption. Many consumers are unaware that products are for sale on brand pages. To counteract this, you will need to actively promote your Facebook shop in order for your page “likes” or fans to become aware that they can buy products from your page now too. One way to do this is to make your store link stand out, by customising your profile picture to promote your Facebook store.
This may seem obvious but can often be overlooked; but it also important to promote your store off-page using your existing marketing media, for example; email newsletter, blog, news stories on your website, add it to your email signature, documentation, business cards, add it to Twitter etc. I often enewlestters with special facebook discounts included, encouraging me to buy from facebooks stores. (Not that I need much encouragement, mind you).

Another option would be to auto-sending/landing of new likes to your Facebook store (this one should be exercised with caution!). As always engagement is vital on Facebook, engage engage, engage whether it be on product suggestions for the store or updating your likes on new items available.

For further inspiration on Facebook commerce check out a list of 101 Facebook commerce examples from Econsultancy .

To start selling on Facebook with Realex Payments, our existing clients should contact support@realexpayments.com notifying us to setup a “facebook” sub account for you. All new merchants should contact sales@realexpayments.com. Our Facebook partner page also list information on our partners and getting started. If you have any experiences of selling on Facebook, we would be delighted to hear about them in the comments section below