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25. 1.2011 Social commerce to surge

Social commerce sales will rise dramatically during the next five years, encouraging brands and retailers to enhance their presence on sites like Facebook, Booz & Co has argued. In a new report, the consultancy stated marketers must shift the terms of engagement with consumers using Web 2.0 properties from "like" to "buy". "The market for social commerce has been embryonic to date, but that will change over the next five years as companies race to establish stores," it said. "Trendsetting companies are focused on products and services that benefit from the unique characteristics of social media, including the opportunity to get quick feedback from multiple friends and family members."

The study praised a flower company, which boasts a fully-functioning Facebook store allowing customers to complete purchases without leaving the network's pages. Dell was cited as another pioneering early-adopter, having earned millions of dollars in revenue through Twitter. The IT specialist is becoming increasingly active in the smartphone and tablet segments, which the organisation believes will transform the retail sector. "Now the consumer is walking in and saying: 'No, I'm going to tell you how I'm going to use your store to give me more information.' The tools they have at their disposal are very cool." Similarly, Quidsi, owned by Amazon, recently set up Facebook outlets for its Soap.com and Diapers.com platforms, although the ability to make purchases is limited to members of these two portals.

B.L. 25.1.2011