Twitter Inc. (TWTR.N) said on Wednesday that it will test enabling businesses to display up to 50 products for sale on their accounts, as part of a bid to capture a slice of the $45 billion social commerce market in the United States.
Meta Platforms Inc. (FB.O) owns Facebook and Instagram, which have been leaders in social commerce, allowing merchants to set up virtual stores and sell things.
The Twitter Shops beta test will be available for a limited number of businesses in the United States and will be visible to those who use the Twitter iPhone app, according to the company.
On Wednesday, one of the test partners, Verizon (VZ.N), showcased iPhone cases and wireless chargers in its Twitter shop. Users are led to the merchant’s website for checkout after viewing the product on Twitter.
The test builds on a previous feature that allowed firms to promote up to five goods at the top of their Twitter profiles, which Twitter began testing last year.
The company, situated in San Francisco, is also experimenting with live-streamed shopping, which allows customers to buy clothing, accessories, and other items while watching live videos from the brand about the products.
