With all the buzz around social shopping, web 2.0 and widgets people often ask us what is the difference between Facebook connect and a “share this” button you see on many product pages of online retail sites.

Facebook connect pop up

The main difference is that users who click on a Facebook connect button become your registered users. That’s right, by simply logging into their Facebook account on your eCommerce site they created an account with you. Depending on the user’s privcay policy you may access valuable information including birthday, interests which you can use to personalize and enhance the user’s shopping experience.

When visitors on your website uses the share button they do not become registered users on your site and and you have no records of them.

When implementing a Facebook connect application you can also start communicating with users via email. You need to ask the user for special permissions right after they connect. This will enable you to email them without asking them for their email address. Your emails will be routed by Facebook to the email address they had registered with Facebook.