What real shopping actions are being driven by Facebook, Twitter and other Social Platforms? To answer this, we conducted a study in concert with Shop.org and comScore to ask consumers directly what they were doing on these sites. The study found that, among consumers who followed a retailer, there was a high likelihood take actions ranging from browsing to immediate purchase. 
Here’s a quick list of our findings:
1) 50% of Facebook users who follow a retailer have visited a retailer’s website by clicking through Facebook.
2) 50% of this same group reported having browsed and researched products and services, with slightly fewer having posted comments regarding products or services.
3) Two-thirds of Twitter users who follow retailers have clicked through to a website or browsed and researched products. Overall, Twitter seems to have more overall commerce intensity than Facebook for now.
4) Only 4% of consumers follow a retailer’s blog but those that do have very high levels of commercial actions via that social channel.
5) More than 25% of Facebook users have purchased a product or service from a Facebook link.
6) 33% of consumers surveyed said they would be likely to make a purchase via Facebook if it were available. While much depends on the retailer’s actual execution, consumers seem willing to use this purchasing option as it becomes more widely available.
While social commerce is an emerging channel, we feel that these findings indicate high levels of browsing, commenting and shopping. Each brand will experience a different level of shopper interaction but consumers tell us that they are open to exploration… and buying!
Please feel free to check out the entire 2011 Social Commerce Study at Shop.org. Also, we invite SMC members to send Peter their questions or insights. Peter Leech provides ecommerce consulting as a Partner in The Partnering Group, a leading retail and consumer goods consultancy. Previously, Peter was CMO for several leading ecommerce retail businesses including Onlineshoes.com and Hanover Direct and led the Ecommerce business for Chico’s, White House Black Market and Soma Intimates.
Image Credit: Sxc.hu
