subject: Social Buying: The New Way To Shop [print this page] Social buying is a relatively new wordSocial buying is a relatively new word. It is actually the combination of e-commerce and social media. Groups, friends, discussions, comments and voting through different online sources are different methods that are used for the activity of shopping. This makes the online experience almost as rewarding as the experience of being physically present at the store or outlet.
Social buying or shopping can be divided into five major categories. These categories include the different methods used by social shopping websites. They include: recommendation engines, shared shopping, shopping communities, group shopping sites and shopping marketplaces.
Recommendation engines thrive on good feedback. Here, consumers who have already bought the product write reviews and tell about their experience. Lately, these engines have started to encourage conversations built around the product with friends and acquaintances of the user.
Shared shopping is the technique where shoppers collaborate to form online groups where one person contacts the retailer and the group by using real-time communication methods.
Shopping communities bring together people of differing areas yet same shopping taste and style. Here, users can easily find information about products, their prices, availability, deals, etc and make shopping lists accordingly. The lists can be shared with friends and are used extensively in the fashion community.
Group shopping sites. These websites offer products at wholesale prices and encourage people to buy them in groups.
Shopping marketplaces bring together buyers and sellers. Here, different individual buyers and sellers interact and perform a transaction. Sellers are able to market their products at a comparatively lower price and buyers discover new sellers through e-commerce.
Social shopping websites are beneficial for customers and retailers. Customers are encouraged to participate in many different ways and their opinion is regarded as highly important. Some social shopping websites also offer incentives for customers who participate in the viewing of the website.
Retailers benefit because they are able to directly interact with the customers feedback. There are times when sales personnel cannot understand why a particular customer prefers a specific product. It is times like these that social shopping websites can come in handy.
There are many different ways the social shopping websites use the concept of social shopping. Social buying helps retailers get a better feedback and understand more about what the buyer is thinking. Social media websites have helped retailers and buyers interact more easily and market their product through all possible means.
