With the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, Facebook is set to support businesses on eCommerce.
This week, the social media platform has announced a startup accelerator program that will offer support and training to eCommerce startups.
With Facebook focus on improving connectivity, the accelerator program seeks to offer a better online shopping experience.
With the programme, participants would boost new technologies such as AR-based shopping experiences and AI-powered catalog management.
In a statement, Facebook commented,: “In this critical time, Facebook is doubling down on commerce and accelerating its work to enable every business to sell online and help people gain inspiration, discover and buy the products they love.
Our commerce vision is one unified shopping experience across all Facebook apps. We can’t achieve this alone, so we are looking for startups to build technology with us.”
This is coming as the social media platform is working towards launching Facebook and Instagram Shops.
These two online platforms would make selling convenient for retailers directly on the widely used social media spaces.
It must be noted that Facebook and Instagram shops are still a work in progress, however, they could offer a transition for eCommerce.
So far, these digital shops have are just simple and a narrowed process for retailers to showcase their product catalog with their customers, which they can add to posts in separate tabs.
However, Facebook is working on a new presentation that will improve the Shops experience.
According to Facebook, the eCommerce Accelerator program has specified that it seeks solutions that address these areas:
- Solutions that can offer quick and convenient ways for firms to manage and upload inventory online
- Technology that can enrich product intelligence and catalog functionality
- Shopping experiences that ensure consumers are supported in their quest to get more informed buying decisions
- New and innovative technology solutions that drive the shopping experience
Online retailers earnestly await how Facebook gets to integrate the expected advanced eCommerce facility into its new Shops.
Interested startups can apply for the programme here.
Featured Image: socialmediatoday
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