Interesting read on Bloomberg about retailers shuttering their Facebook stores. What's surprising is that they didn't try new concepts all together. Why would you shop the same experience in Facebook that you could have on the web? If the alternate store is one bookmarked click away, then there is hardly stickiness.
We've had an alternate experience at CBA - the Facebook community is vibrant and its an exciting channel. We don't want another branch in Facebook, we want Facebook to be an extension of our branches. For the two together, to create a better and differentiated experience. Ok, it's early days. And that's why shuttering stores seems remarkably shortsighted.
It also seems to miss one of the killer elements that Facebook offers us all - a compelling and low-cost platform on which to experience and play. Play is the key factor. It is what people do when they get there. I wonder how many of these retailers tried to reinvent retailing as a game in facebook?
We'd give Facebook an "F" for fun, and and "A" for marketing impact.
