Consumers like using social media to communicate with companies, but they're less confident about using Facebook as a shopping arena. A new study of active Internet users by ThreatMetrix found that 53 percent distrust Facebook storefronts and another 23 percent are unsure about these storefronts' security from fraud. In contrast, 51 percent felt Google did a better job than Facebook at protecting them from fraud.
Although buying directly from Facebook storefronts is a relatively new form of shopping, 20 percent of customers have already made a purchase this way. (In comparison, 32 percent have bought from a company's website after viewing its Facebook page.)
Why it matters to your business: That 20 percent figure indicates to me that customers are ready to embrace shopping directly on Facebook, but their concerns about its safety show that there are still some security hurdles to overcome. I can relate, because while I'm an avid online shopper, the idea of shopping on Facebook makes me a bit nervous. If you have a storefront on Facebook, make sure your security and privacy policies are clear and easy to find. You need to make customers feel that they're protected by the exact same security on Facebook as they would on your website.