The evolution of social commerce is to be expected given the growth of social media and the increase in number of companies actively joining the social realm. Chirpify is a Twitter commerce platform that enables brands, small businesses and musicians to turn their tweets into transactions.

Chirpify has 2 different pricing structures for sellers, but is free for those who are on the buying side of the transaction. Chirpify works with PayPal, and receipts are received via Twitter direct message or DM.

How Chirpify Works

A small business selling a product would initiate the sales process by first sending a tweet with a product listing and picture. A Twitter user who is interested in purchasing that product would respond to the tweet using the word “Buy”. At that point, the transaction moves into the PayPal process and receipts are sent.

Chirpify can also be used for fundraising and donation purposes, in much the same fashion.

Although a tool like Chirpify grants businesses an easy way to reach and transact with customers, it’s important to note that some Twitter users may be unhappy seeing commerce tweets in their streams. For those users who love the space for what it is – a place for chatting, sharing and networking – a shift towards selling and “ads” will inevitably cause some sort of push-back from some users.

It’s always wise to proceed with caution when monetizing your social streams.

Have you purchased something through a social network? Does the monetization of social media bother you?