Numerous studies have indicated that consumers are utilizing social networking sites to learn about sales and new products, and interact with their favorite brands. However, new study results from hybris, an e-Commerce solution provider, are indicating a change in consumers’ social media preferences.
With the Social Media and Shopping Survey, hybris analyzed the preferences, behaviors and purchasing habits of more than 500 U.S. consumers across multiple age segments. The study revealed that most respondents (65%) do not visit social media channels to interact with retailers or receive information on brands. In fact, most of these consumers prefer to go directly to retailers’ stores or web sites, largely due to concerns around the safety of personal information on social media sites, the report revealed.
When asked if they would purchase directly from a retailer social media channel if they could, the majority of respondents (66%) said that they would not. While most respondents said they would prefer to purchase directly from the retailer, 38% of consumers indicated they were concerned about the privacy of their information on social media sites.
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Among the 35% of consumers tapping into Facebook, Twitter and other social networks to interact with their favorite retailers, a vast majority (75%) indicated they utilize Facebook the most. The top benefits of “Liking” brands on the site, according to 74% of respondents, are receiving notices about sales, and obtaining coupons and online codes for discounts.
Conversely, consumers are using Twitter even less to engage with retailers, the hybris study found: A vast majority of respondents (77%) reported they do not follow retailers on this social media channel. For the respondents that do follow their favorite brands and merchants on Twitter, they do so to receive coupons/online codes (14%), notices about sales (10%), to learn about company news (7%) and new products (7%) and to be able to ask questions and share feedback with retailers directly (4%).
