Comments on: Social network impact for retailers

By: Rob Waters

Rob Waters — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:54:14 +0000

Currently working at top retailer in US southeast region, in a Home Store section – in direct contact with customers with avg age/gender: 47/Female. This retailer relies entirely on the almighty coupon, and remains passive to social media – but let me say, the loyal base is rock solid because those coupons lead to in-store add-ons sales, Rewards, clearance deals, good service, etc. I’d love to be the one to help them crack the soc media nut; done right they’d steal competitors revenue. From passive to interactive.

By: Declan O'Sullivan

Declan O'Sullivan — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:35:19 +0000

The solution is for a social network site to offer an escrow facility so that its members can bank money and /or gift it to others.Then it would be a simple matter for a retail partner to offer a link to product descriptions and a “buy” facility when a product class or service is mentioned in the network site conversation. Thus the impulse purchase can be facilitated without the fear that the buyer will lose interest while retrieving their credit card!

By: Bruce Christensen

Bruce Christensen — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:54:14 +0000

Heather,
I find it curious that retailers are still attempting to move potential customers to make a standard purchase on Facebook, rather than giving them a format in which to buy and then share.
It seems like they would find or create social sharing applications where they could include the products that they sell into the conversation between friends and family members on Facebook.