Facebook tests $1 fee for inbox access

Menlo Park, Calif.—Facebook Inc. is testing a service that will charge users $1 to guarantee delivery of messages to a nonfriend's inbox. Currently, messages received from nonfriends are routed to the “other” folder where they may be ignored.

Facebook said the pilot involves only a small number of individuals, and is limited to one message a week for each inbox. If rolled out widely and made available to businesses, the service could be useful to marketers and sales reps reaching out to prospects.