Dive Brief:

• Facebook is expanding availability of its mobile shopping pages—storefronts inside its regular business pages that include “Shop” tabs where users can browse and buy products. 
• Some pages will be able to complete transactions without leaving the Facebook app, with purchases powered by Shopify. 
• The design change will roll out to mobile business pages in the next several weeks, and be visible on desktops by the end of the year. 

Dive Insight:

Facebook is tweaking its mobile app to encourage more businesses to build commerce storefronts inside their regular pages. The new design includes a call to action at the top of each page that clicks through to a retailer-hosted product page, or functions as a “Buy” button that contains the entire shopping experience within Facebook.

The move provides another reason for shoppers to turn to Facebook first, as well as a compelling way for retailers to establish mobile storefronts. Businesses that maintain pages on Facebook now number more than 45 million, up five million since May.

While native mobile apps help speed smartphone interactions, competition for share of screen is intense. Since Facebook’s site and app are leading destinations for mobile users, the new shopping pages offer retailers a way to put their products in front of consumers, without making them download and launch yet another app.