The top social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest are driving as much in-store purchasing as online purchasing, according to Vision Critical data released this morning.
The findings show that marketers need to be increasingly aware of the growing impact of social media on motivating customer purchases, and on how the different networks influence buying patterns. The data shows that:
- Facebook alerted shoppers to sales;
- Twitter helped consumers locate where to buy items; and
- Pinterest helped shoppers get more information about specific items.
Study co-authors Alexandra Samuel, Vision Critical's vice-president of social media, and David Sevitt, the organization's vice-president of consumer insight, state that "showrooming" – where shoppers use brick-and-mortar stores to view merchandise in person before buying online – is seen by the sector as a huge threat to retail. They added, however, that it may not pose as big a threat as many seem to think.
"While 26% of consumers engage regularly in 'showrooming,' 41% browse online and then purchase in stores – a practice we call 'reverse showrooming,'" the authors wrote.
"Instead of feeling threatened by 'showrooming,' retailers should study their customers' paths to purchase and use the insights gained to hone their online marketing efforts."
