Social shopping has become an important part of consumers’ online experiences, with more than half of shoppers saying they use social sites as a resource for product information. Social shopping is also a growing trend for e-commerce websites, with 42 percent of all online shoppers now using social media to research and discover new products to buy.
In fact, influencers are one of the most popular ways for e-commerce sites to integrate social shopping into their websites. Social shopping is about more than simply listing links to other sites, however, there are some key principles that every site should keep in mind when integrating social functionality into their site. This article covers everything you need to know about the impact of social shopping on purchase decisions.
Why is Social Shopping Important?
Social shopping is becoming an increasingly important part of consumers’ online experiences. This is likely due in part to the fact that social sites are becoming more tailored to online shoppers. As a result, they’re becoming an increasingly important part of consumers’ online shopping journey.
Social media users are often looking for more information than an online store’s website can provide. In other cases, social shoppers might be looking for products that an online store doesn’t even sell. In either case, social media is a natural platform for this type of information-seeking and product discovery. Each of the main social media platforms provides a unique approach to shopping.
Some sites are best for product discovery, others for information-seeking, and still others for a combination of the two. Consumers are increasingly turning to social media for their shopping needs. In fact, social media has become a vital part of the online shopping experience for 42 percent of all online shoppers.
Why Is Social Purchasing Important?
Social purchasing is an emerging trend that has the potential to disrupt the retail and eCommerce industries. Although it has existed in one form or another for decades, social purchasing has never been more important. For starters, social purchasing offers shoppers a new way to shop.
It empowers consumers to buy directly from one another or from suppliers. It also allows them to buy things that are unavailable in retail shops, such as custom products, special experiences, or high-end services. Social purchasing is also a convenient way for people to get the things they need.
From cars and homes to travel services and household items, social purchasing can help consumers save time on research and reviews. It also allows them to avoid the frustration of finding a parking spot at the shopping center, standing in long lines, or dealing with pushy sales staff.
How Does Social Purchasing Impact Buying Behavior?
Social purchasing can have a significant impact on your buyer’s decision process. For example, when shoppers participate in group buying, they can access better prices on products and services. They can also earn rewards and gain access to exclusive promotions.
When people buy directly from suppliers, they can streamline the shopping experience and avoid long wait times. They can also access products and services that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to find locally. Social purchasing can also help bring together like-minded individuals and strengthen interpersonal relationships.
This is possible when shoppers create their own communities or join existing groups and boards dedicated to specific interests. When people are members of social purchasing groups, they tend to buy more and spend more. They also tend to engage in the decision-making process more and report higher satisfaction with their purchases.
The 2-Step Process of Social Purchasing
The first step of social purchasing is to find your community. Buyers can search for specific interests and engage with like-minded people online. They can also create their own boards and communities based on shared interests and needs.
The second step is to participate in the conversation and buy or sell directly from consumers and suppliers. Once you’ve found your community and identified the products or services you need, you can negotiate the terms of purchase directly with other parties.
How Shoppers Discover and Research Products
When it comes to social shopping, there are two major types of product research that customers engage in. The first is product discovery, which refers to customers finding products that they didn’t know about previously.
The second is information-seeking, which refers to customers looking for more information about a product they already know about. When it comes to product discovery, consumers engage with social media in a variety of ways.
They might follow brands on social media and receive product updates from them as they become available. They might use hashtags to find products that are popular in their niche. They might also follow influencers and use hashtags to find products they feature.
The Importance of Trust When Using Social Shopping
Social shopping has become an important part of consumers’ online experiences. They’ve turned to sites like Instagram and Pinterest to research new products and find out more about the products they currently own.
However, many of these sites have a reputation for being heavily focused on images rather than hard facts. This has led some to question the value of social media as a shopping resource. The truth is that while social shopping isn’t perfect, it’s still an important part of the online shopping experience.
When using social media to shop, it’s important to remember that not all information is accurate. This makes it important to trust your own judgment. You also need to trust that the people who are sharing the information are reliable.
The Differences between Ecommerce and Social Shopping
It seems like there are new buzzwords and phrases being created in the eCommerce industry every day. Some of these terms, like social shopping and micro-moment discovery, you’ve probably heard before.
Others-such as voice search, artificial intelligence, and conversational UI-are just now emerging as potential game-changers for eCommerce businesses.
Ecommerce is booming globally with an increasing number of shoppers preferring to buy products online rather than from a physical store.
However, this segment is also witnessing a rise in social shopping websites that facilitate discovery, sharing, and purchasing of products through social media accounts (Instagram, Facebook). So what’s the difference between eCommerce and social shopping? And which is best for your business? Let’s take a look..
- E-commerce focuses on selling products to customers directly, whereas social shopping focuses on selling products by way of sharing and discovery via social media.
- Ecommerce offers brands and sellers the opportunity to set their own prices. Social shopping sites, on the other hand, typically take a commission from sales and do not allow sellers to set their own pricing.
- Ecommerce requires payment processing, whereas social shopping does not.
- Social shopping typically has a lower barrier to entry than eCommerce, as there are no upfront costs associated with setting up a social shopping business.
- Social shopping sites facilitate discovery and purchasing through social media, whereas eCommerce websites facilitate discovery and purchasing through a website or mobile app.
- Ecommerce websites are typically optimized for desktop or laptop browsing, whereas social shopping sites are optimized for browsing on mobile, so they can be accessed easily on smartphones.
The Similarities between Ecommerce and Social Shopping
- Ecommerce and social shopping both involve selling products online.
- Both platforms allow you to build a loyal audience and boost your brand awareness.
- Having an online presence on both eCommerce and social shopping platforms allows you to reach more potential customers.
- Your products can be distributed equally across both platforms, which allows for greater product exposure.
Final Words
Social shopping has become an important part of consumers’ online experiences. It’s not just a way to get more information about products; it’s a way for customers to actually buy products. When it comes to social shopping, it’s important to remember that not all information is accurate.
This makes it important to trust your own judgment. You also need to trust that the people who are sharing the information are reliable. For social shopping to be successful for a retailer, it’s important to have a strategy for integrating social functionality into the site. This strategy should take into account how consumers use social media for shopping.
