What is Social Shopping and Why Should We Care?
Over the years, companies have had to adjust where they advertise and reach out to customers. Fifty years ago, it would be local events, leaflets in shop windows and word of mouth. Now, we’re in an era where social media runs the world. Every year, more businesses are using Instagram, Facebook and other platforms to sell, advertise and establish a presence in front of their target market.
Of course, this isn’t a one-way road. Not only are people taking recommendations on social media, they’re actively spending money because of ads they see on these platforms.
What’s Social Shopping?
Ultimately, this term describes the process of customers helping one another with the shopping experience. In physical stores, there are real interactions that shape the experience. Ecommerce brands are now attempting to mimic these social interactions using technology.
Although online shopping is often a positive experience, fake reviews, sponsored content and paid influencers have negatively impacted consumer trust.
It may be that some brands pay people to leave false reviews. This means that consumers are trusting the word of people who may not have actually tried the product we’re considering for purchase. On Amazon and other selling sites, not everything is as it seems. This can be a blow for shoppers, who simply want reliable recommendations.
Problems have also presented themselves with paid influencers. Whether it’s bloggers, YouTubers or anybody else with a following, these people are getting paid to mention products and reviews. Again, they may not have tried the product, and their word of recommendation may be purely motivated by financial gain. This deceit has reduced the average consumer’s confidence in eCommerce brands.
Introducing…Masse
Masse is one of the valuable tools that is aiding the growth of social shopping, and it’s attempting to fight back against the rising tide of fake reviews online. Launched towards the end of 2018, Masse is a product recommendation app available on the App Store and Google Play. Rather than influencers and strangers making the recommendations, it’s all controlled by users. You no longer have to worry about the motivation of users because they’re just like you.
The founders, Lizzy Brockhoff and Elizabeth Shaffer, both became mothers within one day of each other. They had worked together before this, but simultaneously encountered the confusing and crazy baby product market. After speaking with other new mothers, they discovered that new parents were sharing a huge spreadsheet full of recommendations. They had been tested, they had been verified and only the best names made it onto this list. Immediately, Lizzy knew that there was a better way to spread this list and help more new parents navigate the baby product market.
Masse encourages everyday consumers to leave their recommendations for products. Users can build a network and enjoy the recommendations from people who aren’t getting paid and who have only one motivation: to help others in a similar position.
After entering some basic details and setting up a profile, users can ask for a recommendation, whether it’s for coffee, glassware or baby products. From here, other Masse users can make suggestions based on previous experience. Once one user is helped, they’re likely to help somebody else in turn, which generates a positive environment for social shopping. There’s no sponsored content or questioning intentions, just one big positive shopping experience.
Instagram Shoppable Posts
Now that we see how Masse is helping people choose products safely, we want to show a few features that social media platforms have introduced in order to make the shopping experience easier. Firstly, we have Instagram’s shoppable posts that were added to the platform back in 2018. Brands are now able to tag products in a post (in fact, they can add as many as five).
Let’s say that you post an image of a model wearing your brand’s clothes. You may tag five of the products worn. If a consumer is looking through their feed and loves the bag on display, they can click on the tag and see the following information:
- Product description
- Image
- Price
Moreover, they can click on a direct link to the product page on the website. The consumer never had to leave Instagram, and within seconds, the brand made a sale.
When they’re in a physical store, people make impulse purchases. Especially with clothing and other small items, we often buy based on first impressions and initial appearance. Now, brands can offer consumers the opportunity to make impulse buys online too. Rather than closing Instagram, opening a web browser, loading the website and finding the product (something that not everybody has time for), customers can click the tag to learn more instantly.
‘Buy Now’ Pins on Pinterest
For Pinterest business accounts, one of the best features is analytics. More brands are now able to transform what was once a simple social media page into a sales platform thanks to Buyable Pins. Not only can we promote Buyable Pins, we can share products across a host of different pins.
If you’ve never seen this feature before, it helps users buy products just as easily as pinning them. When they like the look of a product, they’ll see the traditional Pin It button, but this will sit next to a Buy It button. Since more customers are looking for convenience, this is one of the best ways to provide it in the modern social shopping environment.
At the moment, Buyable Pins seem to be a bit hit and miss, but there’s promise for them in the future. While Macy’s has reported low sales figures, Shopify stated that the average sale using these pins is around $50. Therefore, brands who can get them to work with their audience will certainly see the benefit.
You might be wondering how Pinterest can compete with Instagram and the shoppable posts, but Pinterest has an advantage — it was first on the scene. Back in 2015, they offered the feature to a limited number of people. In the five years since then, they’ve been testing and gathering feedback. We hope this means they’re ready to overcome issues and help brands make the most of social shopping.
Snapchat AR
Don’t worry, Snapchat hasn’t been left behind in this new era. In fact, they have been investing in the Lens Studio and stoppable AR features. If we look at the Video feature as an example, it starts with ‘how to’ videos and other guides for prospective customers. This is incredibly valuable in a world where customers are looking to connect with brands and get advice from companies directly.
There are two other features: Install and Website. While Install will encourage users to download the company app for the first time (or open it, if already downloaded), Website takes people to a given landing page. You can choose a subscription form or even a page for a specific product.
Why choose Snapchat? One of the biggest benefits is the clear path from stranger to customer. When prospective customers want to learn more, they have a path down the funnel without having to open new tabs and do research on the side. Everything they need is right there in the app, and they’re taken exactly where they need to go.
The Website feature that gets users to a particular page opens the door to unlimited opportunities. Once they arrive, you can show your brand voice and make them feel like a valued new customer with offers and discounts. Alternatively, you might go for free downloads or a product demonstration. How you create value is entirely up to you, and you’ll do it right so long as you understand what the customer needs and wants.
Verdict
The era of social shopping has arrived, and all social media platforms are leaning into the changing demand of consumers. What’s more, services like Masse are allowing genuine brands to build a solid reputation without having to battle against fake reviews and paid influencers!
