Amex enables seamless purchasing via Twitter

In a press release yesterday (Monday 11 February, 2012), American Express announced that Cardmembers can now trigger a purchase via Twitter using special hashtags.

Customers must first 'sync' their Amex card to their Twitter account (no corporate or pre-paid cards may apply) after which, by mentioning an appropriate hashtag in a Tweet, purchases are seamlessly and easily made. To complete the purchase, the Amex Sync account will Tweet back a confirmation hashtag which must, in turn, be Retweeted by the Cardmember. Following this exchange of Tweets, an email is sent to confirm the purchase - this must be replied to within 15 minutes after which the Amex card will be charged and the product shipped to the billing address.

Only select products will be available, and for limited time periods. The approach appears to rely more on impulse purchases than planned, researched purchases. As from Wednesday 13 February 2012, card members can purchase items such as a $25 American Express Gift Card for $15, an Amazon Kindle Fire HD for $149.99 plus tax, an Urban Zen bracelet designed by Donna Karan for $80 plus tax or an Xbox Controller for $29.99 plus tax.

Another aspect of the tie-up is that, because protected accounts on Twitter may not participate, any purchase made by a Cardmember is broadcast across Twitter, turning that purchase into a recommendation or promotion for the product or brand involved.

"Based on the initial success of Amex Sync for offers, we know there is significant power in combining our assets with Twitter's platform to bring value to Cardmembers and merchants," said Leslie Berland, Senior Vice President, Digital Partnerships and Development at American Express. "Now, we're leveraging our unique technology and closed-loop network to introduce a seamless solution that redefines what's possible in the world of social commerce."

Tags: credit card, ecommerce, impulse purchase, social media, Twitter