Social media having ‘little impact’ on retail
Social media sites are only having a marginal impact on the amount of money consumers spend online, a new report claims.
A survey carried out by JupiterResearch revealed that over half of internet shoppers go straight to a retailer’s website when planning an online purchase - rather than spending time looking at product reviews and advice while on the web.
And only 12 per cent of those surveyed admitted that they had made an unexpected purchase, or spent more time than they had planned, after reading a blog or review on a social media site.
"From a branding and advertising perspective, social and community sites are garnering a great deal of influence online," Patti Freeman Evans, a senior analyst at JupiterResearch, commented.
"But when researching a product online, shoppers are looking for fundamental information, not entertainment or social interaction," she continued.
"In the end, the consumer is still interested in convenience and efficiency, and social and community sites are just not that efficient."
Food retailing giant Waitrose recently announced plans to launch its own social media site - which it describes as a "facebook for foodies".
