It appears that Amazon has rolled out a new social feature integrating Facebook into your recommendations. If you go your recommendations, Using Facebook Connect, Amazon will now serve you social recommendations based on information in your Facebook profile. Facebook’s Platform account was just updated with a message that seems to confirm the rollout of this new feature.
So when you activate the feature, you’ll see a dedicated Amazon Facebook page within the recommendations section of your account. For example, you’ll see the most popular books, DVDs, and more that are listed in your Friend’s Facebook profile. So if you like Radiohead, you can see which one of your friends also likes the band. You’ll also see upcoming birthdays and find your Facebook friends’ Amazon Wish Lists more easily. And you’ll get gift suggestions for your friends based on their Facebook profiles.
Amazon explicitly says that it will not share your Amazon account history with Facebook nor will it share your purchase history with Facebook. And Amazon will not contact your Facebook friends. It’s actually a useful feature, especially when it comes to birthday gifts for Facebook friends. And it’s neat to see what books, music, and dvds your share in common with your friends.
Amazon has been ramping up its social commerce offerings, most recently acquiring daily online bargain service Woot. Amazon also has a number of Facebook applications.
Hat tip to Rich Demuro