Snapchat is set to allow users to search for items on Amazon by taking snapshots of products. Using their smartphone, users can identify specific products, such as shoes or other items of clothing.

Any potential affiliate deal between the two companies could enable Snapchat to generate significant revenues – tapping into the global reputation that Amazon now commands.

Earlier this year, Snapchat highlighted Visual Search as an innovative new measure that could help separate it from market competitors.

In a statement, Snapchat said: “Beginning this week, we’re testing a new way to search for products on Amazon right from the Snapchat camera. We’ll be rolling it out slowly, but we wanted to announce it to everyone at the same time.

“Snapchat has always been the fastest way to communicate, and now it’s the fastest way to shop!”

The move follows Instagram’s ‘shopping’ tags launch for its Stories feature and could help to shore up losses for the company as its user base shrinks. Other social media platforms, such as Pinterest also allow users to shop by including the “Shop the Look” pin on certain images.

As of yet, it is not clear how well the Snapchat camera will function in regard to identifying products. However, it raises the possibility of integrating other types of image-based searches into its app in the future.

Snapchat said the function will be “super easy to use” and will entail users pointing their camera at a physical product – or a barcode – and then pressing and holding on the camera to begin the scanning process.

When an item or barcode is recognised, the company said, an Amazon card will appear, as well as providing a link for the item or similar products available on Amazon’s store. Users will be taken to the Amazon website or, if they have it downloaded on their device, to the Amazon app.