SOCIAL COMMERCE STUDY 2011 Tuesday, May 3, 2011 – Speakers: Jennifer Vlahavas, comScore Peter Leech, Social Shopping Labs
Jan 18, 2015
SOCIAL COMMERCE STUDY 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 –
Speakers: Jennifer Vlahavas, comScore Peter Leech, Social Shopping Labs
A Study On Social Media and Commerce
• BACKGROUND: comScore, Shop.org and Social Shopping Labs have
collaborated to conduct research on Social Media and how its
impacting retailers
– Provide a consumer perspective on the social media experience
– Share insights about how consumers use and perceive social media for
shopping
• METHODOLOGY: Email surveys via comScore Panel • METHODOLOGY: Email surveys via comScore Panel
– Email Survey: 1,787 comScore panelists
• CRITERIA: Are 18 years of age or older
• COMSCORE PANEL: Explicit permission to view the complete online
behaviors of 1MM U.S. consumers, representative of the total U.S.
online population
Social Media Raises a Ton of Questions…
But what does the consumer think?
Are Consumers Following Retailers via Social Media?Total Online Population (n=1787)
42%
of Total Online
Population
Members of Facebook, Twitter, Retailer Blog(n=1382)
77%
Follow Retailer(n=751)
54%
Opportunity!?
comScore Survey, April 2011. Q1A: Are you a member of, or registered for any of the following social networking websites or blogs? Q6: Do you
follow your favorite retailers using any of the following websites listed below? Q9: Which activities, if any, have you done on each of the following
social networking websites or blogs?
34%
of Total Online
Population
Follow 6.3 Retailers (average)
54%
Browsed, posted comments or purchased (n=607)
81%
69%
52%
(n=1353)
Mobile is Accelerating Social Media Usage
Any Device Mobile Phone
32%
34%
Visit once a day or more on…
Consumers are heavily
engaged with social
media.
Twitter encourages
42%
30%
52%
50%
39%
(n=417)
comScore Survey, April 2011. Base=Member of social networking site Q2: How often do you visit each of the following social networking
websites or blogs on any device? Q3: How often do you visit each of the following social networking websites or blogs from your mobile phone?
(n=457)
(n=519)32%Twitter encourages
regular mobile usage.
How Has Email Use Changed?
Use more
Use less
7%
Don't know
3% After joining a social
networking site, more
males than females
increase their use of
Email is still strong…
Social participation increases email usage for some.
a
b
a
comScore Survey, April 2011. Base=Member of any social networking site Q4: How has your personal email usage changed since becoming a
member of a social networking website(s)? Indicates significance at 95% confidence interval.
Use more
31%
Use the same
59%
increase their use of
personal email.
(n=1497) 34%(n=767)
27%(n=730)
40
50
60
727K 5.3M 4.2M 2.8M 1.7M 499K 1.6M 4.3M 1.4M 12.6M 116K
80K 38K 128K 214K 16K 11K 53K 11K 65K 96K 1.8M
How Do Retailers Social Media Strategies Differ?(Retailer Unique Visitors and “Followers”)
Un
iqu
e V
isit
ors
(M
M)
0
10
20
30
40
Source: comScore Media Metrix™- March 2011
Un
iqu
e V
isit
ors
(M
M)
Create an Emotional Connection With Consumers
• 58% want Deals/Promotions
• 49% seek out Product Information
• Clearly consumers are hunting for deals, however….
• Retailers are driving new fan acquisition and interaction by relating to
consumers on a personal level.
How Are They Interacting With Retailers??
(n=736)
(n=278)
Retailer Blogs
(n=63)
Clicked through to website 56% 69% 91%
Browsed/Researched product or service 51% 67% 89%
comScore Survey, April 2011. Base=Follow retailer via Facebook, Twitter or Blog Q9: Which activities, if any, have you done on each of the
following social networking websites or blogs?
Posted comments regarding products or
services43% 54% 76%
Posted comments regarding in-store
customer service experiences38% 55% 76%
Purchased product or service from
Facebook link28% 34% 34%
cc
At a 95% confidence interval, Twitter is significantly higher than Facebook.
At a 95% confidence interval, Retailer Blogs are significantly higher than Twitter and Facebook.
How Likely Are You to Make a Purchase
if Available on the Following…?
(Top 2 Box Shown)
35% 32%
Purchase Interest on Social Networking SitesThose who follow a retailer on Facebook or Twitter appear ready to purchase
directly from these sites. But very few retailers offer the option to purchase..
35% 32%
comScore Survey, April 2011. Base=Follow a retailer on
facebook or twitter. Q14. If purchasing directly from a
retailer’s social networking website were available, how
likely would you be to make a purchase from the following?
Top 2 Box shown (very likely to purchase).
(n=716) (n=151)
Case Study: Amazon Embraces Social Commerce
But Retains Control
Case Study: Amazon Provides a Seamless &
Personalized Experience for Consumers
Do Consumers Value Ratings and Reviews?
How Important Are Customer Ratings and Reviews?
(n=1787)
Most consumers read ratings and reviews and roughly half think they are an
important part of their purchase decision.
93% of
respondents read
Credibility is Key!
Neutral
50%
Not
important
4%
comScore Survey, April 2011. Base=Total respondents Q15: Have you ever read customer ratings or reviews when shopping for products?
Q16: How important are customer ratings and reviews to you when deciding which products to purchase?
respondents read
customer ratings
and reviews
Very
Important
46%
50%
Mobile Bridges the Gap Between Online and Offline…yet Women Lag Behind in Adoption.
Accessed Customer Ratings and
Reviews via Smartphone
55%
Mobile Internet usage (browsing, apps, and email) skew male—most likely driven
by more barriers to data plans.
41% 40%
U.S.
Smartphone Share: Men vs. Women
comScore Survey, April 2011. Base=Total respondents Q19: When shopping in a physical store, how often do you access customer ratings and
reviews through your mobile phone/smartphone or other device? Indicates significance at 95% confidence interval.
55%
39%
Males (n=903) Females (n=884)comScore MobiLens U.S. 3 months average ending April
2009 to 3 months average ending April 2010
59% 60%
41% 40%
Jan-09 Jan-10
Male Female
Group Buying As Part Of Your Social Strategy
Have made a purchase
(in past 3 months)19% 10% 5%
Awareness 82% 49% 30%
comScore Survey, April 2011. Base=Total respondents (n=1787). Q20. Prior to today, please indicate your familiarity with each of the following
group buying websites. Base=Purchased from a group buying Indicates significance at 95% confidence interval.
Not surprisingly, the significant discounts offered via group buying sites are
not appealing to most retailers.
However, integrating the group buying concept into your social media
presence is a natural extension of establishing a community.
Awareness and Adoption Are Low – But How Will Facebook
Deals Change The Landscape?
Location based apps have not yet gained the popularity of other social
networking mediums.
But…these consumers are the “elite” among social media users so they are an
influential group.
comScore Survey, April 2011. Base=Total respondents (n=1787). Q24: Are you aware of the following location-based social applications for your
mobile phone/Smartphone? Q24a: How often do you use the following location-based social applications on your mobile phone/Smartphone?
Usage 8% 4% 3%
Awareness 16% 10% 6%
Next Steps from a Retailer Perspective
1. Consumers are ready and willing to shop “socially”.
2. Consumers are liking and following retailers NOW with low opt-out rates. Build your
fanbase now and focus on genuine connection and interaction.
3. Consider a “VIP” execution whereby the proven tools of promotion and product info are
given a unique and valuable spin for your social fans.
4. Project your product stories on Facebook and Twitter and provide a clear link path to
purchase. Track it. The power is in the consumer’s “feed” or “stream”.
5. As you expand into Mobile executions, consider how Facebook and Twitter interaction can
be built in. Mobile is driver of social frequency.be built in. Mobile is driver of social frequency.
6. Make a strategic call. Will you have a community on your site (blog, etc.) or drive your
community using Facebook or other tools?
7. Blogs have very low usage and are better for other goals than community (excluding
some of the larger brands or lifestyle brands).
8. Consumers would like to have access to what their friends think about products on your
site. Consider Facebook Connect tools as a way to bring the friends along.
9. Consumers want easy access to reviews in-store. Capitalize on their natural inclination
with easy apps.
10. Ask yourself: Why would someone “like” you on Facebook?
Thank You
Jennifer Vlahavas, comScore Peter Leech, Social Shopping Labs