According to figures from the report, 77% of online adults are in on social networking and 54% of those consumers have followed a retailer via Facebook, Twitter or blogs. The report also notes that consumers follow brands to find discounts (58%), learn about products (49%), read customer reviews (34%) and share information with other customers (30%). The study was based on findings from a survey of 1,700 U.S. consumers.
Further in the article, it is noted that while merchants use social media to build brands, the report suggests that more can be dome to generate direct sales from these social networks. The supporting data presented includes “56% of Facebook users say they have clicked through to a retailer’s web site because of a Facebook post, while 67% of Twitter users say a post has spurred them to click through to a web site. Moreover, 35% of shoppers say they would be likely to make a purchase directly from Facebook and 32% say they would do the same via Twitter.”
Another key factor affecting the rise of social commerce is mobile usage. Fiona Swerdlow, head of research at Shop.org, was quoted saying that “the popularity of mobile devices will only boost the power of social commerce, which presents an incredible opportunity for retailers.” The report also noted that “mobile is a driver of social frequency—as smartphone usage grows, consumers increase the frequency with which they use social media.”
