Social media shopping
Trialogue truths. “Despite buzz to the contrary, online social networking is enhancing, not deteriorating, relationships among Americans,” says RSCG Worldwide in its latest research. “This new study, of 1,228 social media users in the United States, found that by interacting through online media, consumers are more connected than ever.”
In addition, Consumers are engaging more in what Euro RSCG calls trialogues – multiway exchanges of ideas and opinions among consumers and brands, ‘which matter now more than ever,’ the agency says.
Plus social media destinations are the places to shop. “The smartest brands may well activate their advocates via Facebook and Twitter and surely will drive consumers to stores with special offers,’ says Marian Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, North America. “They’ll also lead some level of frenzy for hot, hot products by getting advocates to pass along the good word. The Sunday shopping supplement has been upstaged by the realtime tweet and the Facebook fan page, plus the Amazon-eBay whirlwind.”
And then there’s preview dating. “People and brands can be tried out online before we experience them face-to-face,” Salzman say. “This is the new normal for shopping and dating: We make chat dates, and we visit articles of clothing – and any variety of other consumer products – many times before we purchase them.”
