Facebook Messenger as Point-of-Sale System, with Apple Pay Built In?

March 29, 2024 by

With more and more younger users turning to messaging systems instead of email, it’s not surprising to see these systems get some further augmentation to draw in more users.

Facebook Messenger is no different, and Facebook is set to not only add point-of-sale (PoS) systems to Messenger, but it also may be poised to bring in Apple Pay functionality besides.

The early reports suggest that Facebook Messenger may allow users to go to stores and pay for items directly from the app, completely bypassing credit card terminals at the store level.

Users will not only be able to pay while physically at the store, ostensibly using the store’s systems, but also pay directly from Messenger.

This isn’t exactly a new development; Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg noted that the company was set to work with other payment providers like Apple to bring systems into play for in-app purchases or for a complete system.

While it’s not strictly necessary, according to reports, that it work with Apple Pay, the idea is to make the connection so as not to be overtly competitive with Apple Pay.

It could potentially prove a competitor, but that’s not necessarily the first goal.

This is a great possibility for the company, as it represents a means for Facebook to allow users to keep better connected to brands, and that means more valuable ad space.

Since Facebook users could directly connect to a brand—up to the point where it could take users’ orders and purchases—that would make Facebook’s advertising real estate all the more valuable. It would essentially up the amount of time users spend on the site, by allowing them to run the entire customer process from start to finish.

It would also provide new potential revenue, particularly if Facebook became a payment processor, taking a percentage of each transaction.

Facebook has needed some revenue streams beyond advertising for some time, especially given that advertising is so dependent on total user numbers that can fluctuate. A system like this might be exactly what the company needs, taking advantage of its huge reach to draw in payments and taking a cut accordingly.

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