Payvment, a developer of Facebook’s shopping platform, has made available a new application programming interface (API).

The API is set to enable retailers with a Facebook account to import their product catalogues to the Payvment Facebook page in order to offer these items for sale to the social network’s half billion members. Payvment will allow participating retailers to offer “Fan” discounts on Facebook to increase their sales volume.

How it works

If a user “likes” a retailer’s Fan page, he/she can offer an immediate discount that is built right into the Payvment shopping cart. In addition, Payvment’s “Share” feature gives Facebook users the option to communicate their Facebook friends the availability of an item they like in the merchant’s store via their Facebook News Feed. The API also includes a link back to the target Facebook store.

Etsy, an e-commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items as well as art and craft, has already made available the new Payvment API to its participant merchants.