New research has revealed that 82% of us are either quite or very likely to be using social media to get ideas on what to buy for Christmas gifts this year, with 46% saying they are using social media more or much more than a year ago to get ideas on what to buy.
The Shop Social study, conducted by social media experts Maybe*, showed that the products we are most using social media to find inspiration for are women’s clothes (54%); men’s clothes (37%); gifts (35%); beauty and cosmetics (34%); children’s clothes and products (31%); books (26%); toys (23% ) and jewellery (22%).
Interestingly, whilst a large percentage are using social media to drive their decision-making processes, nearly three quarters of respondents (74%) said that they shop locally in a bricks and mortar store at least once a week; 36% of them more than once a week and 5% of them daily. This compares with just 29% of those who said they shop online once a week, whilst a further 27% who shop online more frequently.
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“There is a common misconception that social media equates directly to online shopping,” says Polly Barnfield OBE, CEO of Maybe*
“But we can now see that of those who have purchased via social media, 66% have done so from a small independent retailer compared with 54% from a well-known chain store or high street retailer, and 47% from a marketplace like Amazon or Etsy. So, what is clear is that social media is a shop window for bricks and mortar shops and a very powerful way of driving customers in-store. What this shows is that retailers and brands without an effective social media presence and strategy are missing out on potential sales. It really is time to make sure you are using social media to engage with and convert existing and potential customers.”
75% of respondents said that in the last three months they had purchased something as a result of having seen it on social media. 4% said they shopped online every day. This compared with 73% who said shopped locally in-store at least once a week. 65% of respondents said they had purchased items directly through social media platforms (e.g. Instagram or Facebook shops). 89% said they were either quite likely or very likely to buy from a social media advert served into their timeline.
Nearly a third of us are spending between three and five hours a day on social media. A further 43% say they are on social media for up to two hours every day, compared to 14% who spend less than an hour browsing and 11% who say they are on social for more than five hours every day. And when it comes to social media, Facebook and Instagram remain the most used platforms for 76% and 55% of shoppers respectively. These were followed by YouTube (53%), WhatsApp (50%), Twitter (41%), TikTok (35%) and Pinterest (22%).
“The link between social media and purchasing decisions is now clear,” continues Polly. “People are spending more of their time on social media and not just randomly browsing but actively using the platforms to find ideas about what to buy and then actually purchasing through the platforms.”
By some distance, a friend or family member posting about a brand, product or service is likely to influence the purchases we make – 51% of those surveyed said it did so. This compared with just 24% whose purchases are swayed by an influencer or a celebrity and 26% by the brand posting itself.
84% of respondents said they shared their good and bad brand experiences on social media with their friends, highlighting the importance of brands and shop owners re-engaging with their customers and staying on top of the conversations and sentiment being expressed about their brand, and using social media as a primary customer service platform.
Maybe* provides a range of social media engagement and insight tools that help clients engage with conversations on social media to improve business results. These tools enable businesses to see what content is working best and boost their best performing content, to compare their social media performance to competitors or collaborators, and, by knowing what content is working, being able to join the right conversations. The company works with BIDs and local authorities across the UK to train retailers in how to position themselves at the centre of local conversations to ensure their businesses gain support and interest.
