The Season Of Social Commerce Shopping

With Facebook and Twitter paving the way for the rise of social commerce, the concept of shopping via social media is transitioning into a new commerce sector of its own.

But just how much do consumers really want to shop from retailers via social media? According to a study from Citi Retail Services, quite a bit. Its latest results show that of the 58 percent of respondents that said they follow retailers on social media, 60 percent are open to purchasing through social media.

The most popular sites listed were Facebook, followed by Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. The survey respondents also revealed that they often interact with retailers through those channels. The survey revealed that 62 percent had “liked” a post, and 40 percent had commented; 31 percent had reposted on their own social media feed.

The breakdown of where they would most likely use that would lead to making a purchase are:

• Facebook – 35%
•  YouTube – 25%
•  Pinterest – 19%
•  Twitter – 15%
•  Instagram – 12%
•  Snapchat – 5%

“Social commerce is still in its infancy,” said Leslie McNamara, Managing Director of Partner Management for Citi Retail Services. “But smart retailers have an opportunity now to be early adopters in extending their brand experience into the social media space and connecting with customers in a way that enhances the shopping journey and builds strong, long-lasting relationships.”

As part of its survey results, Citi Retail Services also release tips for merchants about being social media savvy. Those tips include:

1. Be where the shopper shops: In today’s connected world, retailers need to be readily accessible everywhere. It’s less about driving consumers back to your physical properties and much more about reaching people wherever they are.
2. Get personal: On top of promoting products, wise retailers share non product-related narratives and visuals that convey positive emotion with the brand and encourage customers to share with their networks.
3. Realize that time is – more than ever – money: Consumers are increasingly looking for simplicity and immediacy. Today’s world operates on-the-spot. By ensuring they’re providing an experience that enables immediate gratification, retailers are setting themselves up for success — and repeat business.