The flash retailer says the rule frustrated visitors coming from social links.

Thanks to social media, Fab.com just became less exclusive.

The flash-sale retailer, which launched in 2011 and sells such products as jewelry, home décor, art, gifts, gadgets and clothes, says it will no longer require shoppers to sign in to view items. The retailer says the log-in requirement frustrated shoppers who came from Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

“As we get 50% of our signups from social sharing, having this requirement to view products was really shooting us in the foot,” CEO Jason Goldberg says today. “There’s not much worse than getting excited about a product your friend shared [on social media], then clicking through to view and getting a huge log-in blocker. Lame. This was a huge source of complaints on Facebook and Twitter.”

Fab says it never required mobile shoppers to log in to view products.  Fab shoppers, though, will need to create accounts to complete a purchase and to maintain lists of favorite products, Goldberg says. Fab says it has gained 7 million registered members since its launch and daily offers some 10,000 products for sale.

Earlier this year, Fab.com announced it has raised $105 million that it would use, in part, to expand and ship orders more quickly to customers. Fab.com is No. 449 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide.

advertisement
Favorite