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Description of social media online shopping  

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Description of social media online shopping  

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The social media shopping defines that the brands use the social media like Facebook, Instagram, twitter, bloggers, Pinterest, LinkedIn, google plus, YouTube, Regional, amazon. Social media has changed the way of shopping and also business people use new strategies to encourage people to buy product through social media. According to the research, 2000 men and women changed their way from traditional shopping to shopping through social media. They believe social media is ready to use 24/7. Apart from that, men use more social media than the women. Big brands spread the news related to the new fashion through social media like on Facebook, twitter. Social media plays very important role in marketing. Because marketing is essential for business. There are some famous websites likewise, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Flicker and you tube, which are used by the million of users to view the shopping material. So, social media has become a hub of marketing. Many small businesses use social media because social media is easy to access and best way to expand the business. Social media provide the free links to share.  Furthermore, now some people use bloggers to share their fashion and products to sale. They use them by providing their information and post pictures to attract the people. Bloggers use the blog not only to sale the cloths but also home related things, flowers, art and crafts. For example: An organised Life which is run by the Beck Wadworth. She also gives some life styles tip to engage customer with her company. There are some other examples likewise, Fashion Me Now, where people can buy cloths and have some beauty stories through Blog. Apart from that, there is link where a woman has an online shopping account on Facebook, she posts new dresses with size in interesting way to attract people. Moreover, Twitter is also useful media to encourage people for shopping, such as Wish shopping has an account on twitter where they post their product with price and size in interesting way and also offer the discount to expand the business. The main motive of this company to show that their products are more cheep. Social media is useful tool to shop online because on social media people can have suggestions from other users regarding the product. Like, stylefeeder is the site where people can shop with others and they can make shopping list, groups to gather the information or views related to the product.  furthermore, brands target the customer during the holidays by sharing the discount and gift cards on social media. Thus, the inspiration has been decreased on television and magazine. The mobile use has increased for social media shopping. Few online shopping sites has made the connection with the social media likewise, eBay, Amazon. Even A ordinary person can sell their product by making account on Facebook, Twitter an Instagram. These social media sites are easy to access and available for every person. Everyone know about the Facebook therefore, brands target the Facebook and launch a new social media site that is Facebook market place to sell the products to the friends. This is very reliable source of selling and buying the items. Because Facebook market place has a feature where customer can see that how long user has been on Facebook and some other information related to the profile. So that anyone can buy and sell product without any harassment.  There are some pros of using social media shopping, it is unlimited to share the product, anyone can share according to the interest. So, the value of online shopping has been increased. Expand the contact with customer, also helpful to collect the reviews and comments on the product and deliver so that makes easy to improve the productivity, it is cost effective. On the contrary, social media needs time to expand the business and expensive to buy some product, there could not be any grantee for the product. There is a picture which shows that people use Facebook more as compare to the other social media to buy the product. Also, it shows that there are many social media sites available to sell or buy the products. The videos give some information that the women and teens like to shop on social media and magazines also use the social media as a reference. The YouTube is useful too to find the new product and buy product. The biggest brands use the social media like Nike, Starbucks, not only to share the product but also to make money.

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social media influenced the digital fashion 

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social media influenced the digital fashion 

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Research has revealed the influence of social media on our personal style and shopping habits.

The research, which polled 2,000 men and women from ages 18 to over 60 highlights the cultural and behavioural shift caused by the democratisation of fashion through social media.

In the twenty-teens* people's shopping behaviours have changed as we strive to be social media-ready 24/7. Whilst the ultimate fashion faux pas used to be turning up to a party in the same outfit as someone else, today it's all about being tagged in the same outfit on social media.

The research, conducted by TK Maxx, reveals the extent of this influence shift.

* Nearly one third of Brits (28%) admitted they buy new clothes just to avoid being multi-tagged in the same outfit.

* Almost a fifth (18%) said that they would refuse to wear an outfit again if they knew there was a chance of appearing in the same outfit online.

* Men appear to be the most social-conscious gender, spending an average of £61 to safe-guard against this modern day anxiety, as opposed to women's £53.50

* 37% of Brits said that seeing what others wear on social media inspires them to try something new.

* Almost a third (29%) credit social media with helping them to decide what to buy and how to wear it.

* Gaining comments and likes on their outfits on social media inspires 1 in 4 to try new styles.

* 11% credit bloggers as more inspirational than fashion designers.

* 18% said they always ensured they looked stylish for social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

As social media has made fashion and style more accessible than ever, it drives how we shop and what we wear. Facebook recorded 1.39 billion users at the end of 2014, with Instagram growing to over 300 million users with over 70 million photos and videos being shared every day.

Sources of style inspiration have fundamentally changed: fashion news often breaks exclusively via Facebook and Twitter, bloggers are now gracing the cover of Vogue and fashion designers are live streaming their shows. This boost of social influence is inspiring people to explore their own personal style and curate their own unique looks to share and receive affirmation online. The average adult has 338 Facebook friends, meaning their style selfies are being reviewed and commented on by hundreds of people with each upload.

Lily Melrose, Fashion Blogger and Industry Commentator, comments: "Instagrammers and bloggers are undoubtedly the new tastemakers of obtainable and relatable style. Social media has totally changed the face of fashion today and the way we shop. The beauty of social sharing sites is that you can be inspired by such a wide range of people, from your friends, bloggers, celebrities and family."

"On social media there is something for everyone as unique and individual looks are celebrated and shared. I can't count the times I've been inspired by another blogger or someone on my Instagram page to try something new and I love sharing my looks with my readers."

The findings follow the launch of TK Maxx's Spring/Summer campaign, which launched exclusively on its Facebook channel and sees the brand celebrating the personal style of 10 of its customers. Each cast member was surprised with a rail of new spring/summer trends including big labels, wardrobe classics and unique gems; then invited to create their own unique looks for a variety of occasions.

Deborah Dolce, Group Brand & Marketing Director commented: "Social media is moving people toward a wide range of fashion ideals and style icons. While celebrity culture is still strong, we now look to a much broader base of people for inspiration from our friends to bloggers to online style trailblazers. Social media platforms enable us to express ourselves freely and showcase our personal style.

"Similarly TK Maxx believes that fashion is for everyone. We encourage people of all ages, shapes and tastes to enjoy expressing their style from within the wide and ever changing selection of designer finds and unique gems in our stores. Since our savings are outstanding, we'd love people to have some fun creating their own looks. Shoppers can find great labels and quality and curate many outfits that they love for less to ensure that their wardrobe is socially media-proofed."

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Digital fashion trends: Social media a 'big influence on nation's wardrobe'

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Digital fashion trends: Social media a 'big influence on nation's wardrobe' - Digital marketing news and research from Digital Strategy Consulting - Brits spend £815 million* to 'social media proof' their wardrobe with men spending more than women, according to new data.

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It's no secret we have a bit of a thing for stalking fashion bloggers' wardrobes, and we've been known to obsessively hunt down that epic wall hanging spotted on a home decor guru's Instagram. So you can imagine our happiness upon noticing more and more are fashion, decor, and fitness bloggers adding a dedicated online store to their websites. Now, you can shop their closets, homes, or detox plans more easily than ever.

It's nothing new for bloggers to offer an e-commerce component on their websites-third party tools, like Reward Style, help bloggers to make commission every time they link to a product and a follower clicks or buys it. Traditionally, these links have appeared somewhat discretely throughout blog posts, but now bloggers have started launching fully integrated online stores.

Often the stores are filled with a cool, curated edit of product that meets the blogger's personal taste (and probably yours too, in that case). Using the same third party organizations, bloggers can earn big bucks through these dedicated digital boutiques-and save you the hassle of trawling big online stores for styles you love. Other bloggers are going for a different approach, selling their vintage wares, or-particularly in the home and living space-their own DIY creations.

Right now there are 17 fashion, living, and health blogs we're hitting up frequently for our online shopping fix-keep scrolling to see (and shop!) 'em all.
1. Sincerely Jules
Julie Sarinana has been running her blog, Sincerely Jules, since 2009, and has amassed quite the following-1.7 million on Instagram alone! Her online store is where you can pickup those cult-hit Célfie tees ($49) that have been such a win with followers.

You can also shop her wishlist, an assembly of new season pieces from ASOS, Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, and more online retailers. Although this section of her blog certainly looks like a fully function online boutique, clicking on a product will redirect you to the retailer's website, where you'll go ahead and finish up your order.

We think 25-year-old New Zealander Beck Wadworth must have a type-A personality-in the best possible way. Her dot com content space is dedicated to minimalist, chic organizational and lifestyle tips, while the online store is a cool place to pickup her brand of 2015 planner, stationary, or other knick-knacks for the home, like candles.
3. Style Du Monde
Taking inspiration from the outfits featured on the site, Belgium's first (and probably best) street style site also offers up an edit of pieces selected from its affiliates, including Net-a-Porter, ASOS, and Topshop.
4. Fashion Me Now
British blogger and mega-babe, Lucy Williams, writes and shoots travel, fashion, and beauty stories at fashionmenow.co.uk. Her style is casual-you're more likely to see her in sneakers than heels-wearable, and trend-led, and you can actually buy many of the pieces she styles and models straight through her blog.
5. Stephanie Sterjovski Life and Style 6. Harper and Harley
You'll want to purge all of your homewares in a bulk sale after spending five minutes on Stephanie Sterkovski's home and style blog. Her taste is super, super cute. If you head to her online store, you'll notice many of the prints, notebooks, and stationery featured in articles are actually her own designs-and she sells them for really reasonable prices too!
7. We Wore What
A self-professed minimalist who wouldn't be seen in anything brighter than grey, Sara Donaldson of Harper and Harley is an Australian uber-blogger (she even stars on a TV show about bloggers down under) with a cool eye for simple style. Her online store is a reflection of her personal look-carefully edited, expensive-looking, and chic.
8. Brunch at Saks
Danielle Bernstein's fashion blog is blowing up even bigger by the day. Right now she doesn't have a fully integrated online store, but according to the website, it's coming soon. You can still shop her pre-loved styles online however, and while the offering isn't huge just yet, what's available is pretty cute.

Cute home decor blog, Brunch at Saks, has integrated a small e-boutique into its home and style website. Head here for cute cushions, throws, and original furniture for your pad.

Health blogger and qualified nutritionist, Jessica Sepel, blogs about good-for-you recipes, fitness tips, and basically everything you need to actually achieve your healthy New Year's resolutions this year. Over at her online store, you can buy guides on how to stop emotional eating (handy), detox plans, and more.

10. Song of Style
11. Brooklyn Blonde
Aimee Song from Song of Style is a favorite with the street style paparazzi when fashion week rolls around-and with good reason, this girl's got style! Her online store, Two Songs, sells the cute slogan tees and sweaters that keep popping up on her outfit posts.
12. Haute Pursuit
New Yorker, Helena Glazer has a personal style that's cool and easy to try at home-which is exactly why we love that you can buy her favorite pieces online. A " shop " section on her website pulls together a select edit of pieces from a bunch of different brands and retailers, offering everything from designer shoes to the lipgloss she can't live without.
13. Media Marmalade
You knowfashion blogger, Vanessa Hong, for her recognizable sense of style and killer blonde hair cut, but did you know she also runs an online store? Here, she sells on-trend accessories available around the $50 mark, "Haute" slogan tees and sweaters, and more.
14. Remodelista
Come here for a refreshingly affordable, always on-trend edit of the new arrivals landing in your favorite fashion retailers.
15. Gary Pepper Girl
Aside from the cute home and living content, followers hit this digital destinations to browse and shop thousands of things to that will make your old digs feel totally new.

She's undoubtedly one of the world's biggest bloggers, and Nicole Warne doesn't just offer content up on her blog, Gary Pepper Girl-she has a specific shopping section using affiliate links to pull together her favorite, ultra-feminine fashion pieces from designers across the globe.

The Blonde Salad blogger, Chiara Ferragni, doesn't sell her self-titled collection of too-cute shoes directly through her blog, but rather retails online at chiaraferragnicollection.com.

Two all-Australian babes (and besties IRL), Elle Ferguson and Tash Sefton curate inspirational images on their blog, They All Hate Us. The pair is known for their love of ripped jeans, and sells their top 10 wardrobe picks online every month. Head over for the best new buys from Australian labels, and lots of distressed denim.

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17 Fashion Bloggers Who Also Have Awesome Online Stores

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Scroll To See More Images It's no secret we have a bit of a thing for stalking fashion bloggers' wardrobes, and we've been known to obsessively hunt down that epic wall hanging spotted on a home decor guru's Instagram.

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The latest Tweets from Wish Shopping (@WishShopping). Shopping made fun! Download the app at https://t.co/41zCe9kOAP. San Francisco, California

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Online Shopping. 157 likes. Shopping & Retail

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importance of social media marketing for business. 

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importance of social media marketing for business. 

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Picture shows the brands using social media 

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social media alternate the way to shop online 

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social media alternate the way to shop online 

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eBay Sellers Journey to $100,000 a Month

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I'll start with this fact:
"89% of businesses saw increased market exposure due to social media" - Global social media research summary

Here's what I'm NOT going to talk about:

How social media has grown in the past 10 years

Why social media is so important to sales

Why am I not going to talk about this? Because we're all aware of this and my goal is to provide you with practical ways to increase eBay sales, if you want to read about the history of social media there's plenty of information out there.

I am going to share best practices to attract customers from:

1. Facebook

2. Pinterest

3. Instagram

How to Use Facebook to Sell more on eBay

As you can see in the above infographic and as i'm sure you know, Facebook is ginormous and touches almost a third of earth's population and the number of users is steadily rising. But like I said before, this article is not about convincing you how great Facebook is but about how you can use this as a tool to increase your revenue stream.

First off, remember that Facebook is a social media platform meant for social interactions and I know that seems obvious but it is not! Many people who sell on eBay turn to their personal account and post endlessly about their eBay sales and products.

This is mistake number one as your friends or even acquaintances may well unfriend you and diminish both your social and business contacts. Instead try to tread lightly for example only posting your holiday or Sunday specials.

Beyond this here are some other ways you can promote your eBay listings or store on Facebook:

Facebook widget

Each eBay listing has one of thee on the right hand side and this is a great way to get friends and family in on your newest product. But again, proceed with caution, only use this for unique items or something with a good story as you don't want people getting fed up with you. An example would be maybe a rare collectible or a cult fan DVD set if you know all your friends love 007.

Buying and selling groups

Many of these groups exist mainly for people who are selling large items locally and want a local buyer to avoid crazy shipping fees. But many times these groups allow you to share an eBay listing.

Do keep in mind that some groups have banned this so read the rules beforehand and again do not overdo it (maybe post one a week) otherwise you might get kicked out of the group and that is never fun.

Facebook business page

This is probably the best option if you are a serious seller on eBay and not just getting rid of things around the house. I really like business pages because:

You control the content in its entirety

Once you have people following you all your posts will show up in their feed

You can place targeted ads say women in their mid fourties (more on this in a sec)

In order to get started:

1. Choose your business type - local/brand/product

2. Fill in the details of your company and write a concise but convincing paragraph about what your products are about and why people should purchase from you

3. Upload a high quality profile picture and banner - I recommend the profile picture be your logo and the banner either be a picture of a product or a promotion

4. Define a clear goal Do I want people to 'like' my page, 'follow' me or get them as quickly as possible to my eBay listing or store ?

5. Promote your store to friends, family, contacts and past customers (note that you can obtain their emails from PayPal's records).

Paid promotion via Facebook

Now the best thing about Facebook pages which I mentioned before but can't stress enough is the ability to place paid targeted ads. For example let's say you are selling hand knitted cat sweaters. Keeping with the above demographic, a single 40 year old woman might be your ideal target market. Facebook knows people's age and marital status and many times whether or not they have pets. Either way this is a powerful tool which can help you reach thousands of potential customers.

A word of caution: while anyone can create paid ads on Facebook, it takes an experienced and knowledgeable person to do it successfully. Don't rush into spending money on Facebook ads if you've never done it before.

One way to go about it is find a Facebook ads freelancer (try Upwork platform as a source for freelancers), but define your goals very clearly to avoid throwing money away.

For example:if you earn $20 per sale then your target CPA (cost per acquisition) on Facebook should be lower than $20, otherwise it's a waste of time and money.

How to Use Pinterest to Sell More on eBay

Many of us use pinterest. And why not, the pictures are gorgeous and inspiring and today it's all about visuals. And many times when people see something on Pinterest they really want to purchase it, usually they can't but a smart few are capitalizing on this trend.

Using Pinterest successfully as a viable and lucrative way to promote your eBay listings goes beyond 'pinning' all your items.

Here are some tips on how to do this:

Amazing photos

The days of 'ok' photos are gone. We are living in a highly competitive world when it comes to dating, restraunting and well, selling on eBay or attracting eyeballs on Pinterest for that matter.

Pinterest owes its success in large part to always providing stunning, awe striking photographs. Most pictures there, in my opinion, have been taken by professionals and brushed up on Photoshop. So you yourself need to hone your photography and photo editing skills or you should be paying a professional - average photos just won't make the cut!

One "easy" way to achieve a better looking image is by using filters which are available in almost any default camera app in smartphones.

Pin Presence

Whenever sharing photos of your items make sure to add a 'Pinterest button' whether on your blog, website or on email promotions - this will increase the amount of traffic you get.

How to do this technically:

If you are using WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr or Wix.com then you should have a built in option. Here is an example if you are using Wix:

Click 'Add' on the left side of the editor

Click 'Social'

Click 'Pinterest Pin It'

Drag the 'Pin button' wherever you want it to appear

After someone clicks 'Pin it', they will link back to the page they were on

For other scenarios please see Pinterest's 'Business and Websites' section under 'Build a save button for your site.

Separate boards

As many of you know, you can create different boards for different themes on Pinterest and this is much advisable as people search based on theme and like children, they do not want their vegetables touching their mashed potatoes. I advise you have a board exclusively for sold items for example and make this clear as a potential customer may feel devastated to find out that the product they have been obsessing about on Pinterest is no longer available on eBay.

Also consider themes which are holiday specific such as 'Christmas' or product specific such as bowties.

Reciprocity and engagement

Narcissism is out, reciprocity is in! Remember this when on Pinterest and all social media for that matter, 'social' being the key word here. You must give to get and in this instance that means start by liking, pinning and sharing other people's photos. Many times they will want to check out who you are and return the favour. It is actually really fun and easy and totally free of charge!

Findability

Many people put in hours and hours of work on Pinterest but then potential customers can't find them. Be sure to :

Make sure your Pinterest profile name is identical to your eBay seller ID

Include a direct link to your eBay store or listing

Analytics

Pinterest has a section called 'Popular', check this out to see what is trending and what is hot - being informed and seeing what is driving the market at any given moment is key to your success on any platform. Also search for 'eBay' or 'eBay source page' on Pinterest in order to see what shoppers are pinning, buying and selling on eBay vis-a-vis Pinterest.

How to Use Instagram to Sell More on eBay

Last but not least Instagram is just as prominent and important on this list as Facebook and Pinterest. As with the other platforms, I recommend you approach Instagram with clear cut goals - think:

Do I want to increase client engagement and loyalty ?

Am I interested in solely increasing sales ?

Or do I wish to strengthen brand and product awareness ?

One you have set your goals you can begin by:

1. New account - Open up a fresh instagram which is solely dedicated to your business, products, needs and theme and again use your eBay seller ID or a slightly altered version if it is already taken. Keep in mind that all personal posts should be kept separate!

2. Profile picture - I recommend adding your logo or an image which you feel is representative of your business's core values.

3. Add a link - In the 'website' section add a link to your eBay page, store or listing so that fans can easily buy their favorite products from you.

4. Bio - Fill out your bio, be precise as you only have 150 words and maybe spruce it up with a relevant emoji like a shoe for example.
5. Switch to a 'business account' - Instagram has rolled out this option which offers quite a few benefits including:

Promotions

Analytics about posts and follower habits and interactions

To do this go to: 'settings' > 'switch to business account'

6. Be familiar and use different content types - these include:

Photos - not just one but you can do up to ten at a time and include collections such as sweaters

Videos - for product introduction or brand awareness

Stories - which are deleted after 24 hours and are good for promotions but won't clutter your feed

7. Advance content - Keep a folder with all the pictures and headings you want to post and get into a posting rhythm, for example every Saturday and Sunday since its the weekend and people are more likely to have time to engage with your posts. 8. Add content - Put up a few posts with appropriate hashtags before you start following others, otherwise you risk looking like a bot. You have websites, such as ShortStack where you can search for the best hashtags for your field but start simple and work your way up from there. For example #bags #designer #luxury. Play around with this and you will get the hang of it.
Hashtags explained - for those of you who don't know yet hashtags are basically a category or title you are giving your post, the more hashtags you give and the more popular they are, the more people will find and see your post

9. Building a following - I recommend only following people or accounts relevant to your business. These include customers, related business and especially your competition. The saying goes 'keep your friends close but keep your enemies even closer' and that is true. If you don't want to follow them directly, see who they are following or who is following them and 'borrow' their ideas. Also remember to like, comment and share these new found friend's posts as that is how you can create positive engagement.

10. Don't just sell - If you make every post and picture about selling, people will get sick and tired of you and move on. Consider throwing in some related inspirational quotes, pictures, videos, jokes or memes to spice things up and keep interest going.
11. Brand uniformity - Make sure all images on your page use the same font style, colors, lighting and photographic angle. This helps create brand distinction and harmony on your page.

12. Captions - Keep captions crisp and to the point - what are you selling, how much and where can I buy it should suffice. You can't link directly in the caption but rather through your bio so direct people there.

13. Promotion - Definitely consider using paid Instagram ads which can run as little as a few dollars a day. Also try other forms of promotion like running a contest or featuring a customer who has given you positive feedback. All these can seriously improve engagement.

Remember my advice regarding paid Facebook ads, it applies here as well.

14. Tracking - Keep a detailed record of what works - which images got the most likes? Which hashtags were most popular and which items sold best? Over time this should give you an indication of where to invest more energy and where to invest less.

Summary - eBay social media selling

As I mentioned many times in the past, FOCUS is of huge importance when it comes to implementing your business tactics. Don't try and tackle all the major social media channels at once, start with just ONE channel (say Instagram) and spend all your allocated time on it.

Only after a couple of months or when you start seeing real profits (at least $1000/month) and you believe that you have a very good understanding of how this channel generates income for you, only then start thinking about expanding to the next channel.

That's it for this week, as always please leave comments below and I'll be happy to reply.

Co-founder and CMO of CrazyLister - the world's leading eBay listing solution. 2x eBay award recipient for excellence in sales and highest conversion rates. Started my journey in eCommerce back in 2008, grew an online business from zero to $4.5M in sales and never looked back.

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How to Use Social Media to Sell More on eBay

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I'll start with this fact: "89% of businesses saw increased market exposure due to social media" - Global social media research summary Here's what I'm NOT going to talk about: How social media has grown in the past 10 years Why social media is so important to sales Why am I not going to talk about this?

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having suggestion from others related to online shopping by using the social sites 

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having suggestion from others related to online shopping by using the social sites 

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https://mashable.com/2010/11/18/social-shopping-loneliness/#M4ED62VdU5qn

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Lauren Boyer is the CEO of Underscore Marketing, a boutique digital agency that specializes in social media.
Shopping, which was once highly social, is increasingly solo. You can "do errands" from your sofa at home. With mobile and wireless technology, you can shop from anywhere, at any time of day. Food, clothes, furniture and electronics are delivered to your doorstep. You don't even have to speak to anyone while making a purchase.

For younger consumers, shopping online is practically second nature. According to a recent Harris Interactive poll, a quarter of American adults say that, in the past year, they've increased the amount of time they spent shopping online. Adults who use social media, younger Americans, and more highly educated Americans are more likely to have increased their time shopping online.

But how do Americans feel about all this autonomy? Do they enjoy going it alone? The same Harris Interactive poll suggests that this may not be the case. One-third of Americans say they feel lonelier than they used to, and more than half say that they have recently had less face-to-face contact with friends.

Social Shopping: Suggestions, Ratings and Location

"Social shopping" is stepping in to respond to this sense of loss. As consumers spend less time actually going to stores, many are seeking out virtual interactions as a replacement for the face-to-face contact they crave. Through brand sites that create a community of users, or websites that actually bring shoppers together, consumers are finding a way to create their very own store-like experiences.

On one end of the social-shopping spectrum, there are social media sites built around product opinions, reviews, ratings and suggestions. One site, Stylefeeder, explicitly addresses this desire for a sense of community. Its home page says, "Never Shop Alone. Shopping is more fun with friends! No friends? No problem. Meet your Style Twins."

Like Stylefeeder, the site Kaboodle fosters shopper interaction. Users can make shopping lists, join groups, get product suggestions and share their finds with each other. Of course, once you've done your "window shopping," you can click through to another site to make a purchase.

And taking it a step further, location-based shopping sites like Groupon or Bizzy alert you to shopping deals right in your own neighborhood. You'll find opportunities at restaurants, stores, theaters, spas and special events. Social media die-hards can share their purchases via personal blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

On the other end of the social shopping spectrum are consumer product sites that recognize this desire to communicate with someone, to share ideas and get feedback. Take the case of Kotex. Its brand of feminine products are aimed at young women, and the company site reflects this with hip colors, graphics and features. Visitors join discussions, watch videos, create and upload their own videos, sign a petition and get advice from experts and each other.

No matter what the format of the social-shopping experience, consumer reviews are always at the heart. Amazon, for example, offers user reviews for everything from books to pet food. ConsumerSearch even aggregates reviews from other review sites, so shoppers can find extensive input in just one location.

User-generated product reviews are in fact more important than ever. The Harris Interactive poll found that in the past year, one quarter of Americans increased the amount of time they spent reading product reviews online. That number is even higher for younger Americans and those with college degrees. What's more, 53% of Americans say that when they use social media, they prefer to listen to the opinions of others, rather than give their own. And 60% of Americans say they value the opinions other people share on social media.

Social media seems to reduce the loneliness of the virtual shopper. How can brands capitalize on this? No longer do they have to coax shoppers in from the cold. Now they can bring their products, their messages, and, most importantly, a collective of fellow shoppers, straight to our fingertips.

More Business Resources from Mashable:

- 14 Sites Changing the Way We Shop
- The Biggest Brands on Facebook [INFOGRAPHIC]
- Why the Best Online Marketing May Be Headed Offline
- 4 Creative Social Marketing Campaigns from Around the World
- HOW TO: Run an Online Daily Deal

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, tomhoryn

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How Social Media Can Make Online Shopping Less Lonely

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Lauren Boyer is the CEO of Underscore Marketing, a boutique digital agency that specializes in social media. Shopping, which was once highly social, is increasingly solo. You can "do errands" from your sofa at home. With mobile and wireless technology, you can shop from anywhere, at any time of day.

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social media with online shopping - Bing video

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online shopping turning to social media 

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online shopping turning to social media 

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Social media has begun to replace a lot of activities that used to take place on other parts of the Internet. It seems that one of the greatest areas impacted is the way users shop online. An infographic from Crowdtap examines how social media has changed holiday shopping drastically.

The first major area of change is the in inspiration and discovery. Holiday gift discovery on social sites is up 17 percent as compared to last year. Shoppers are also finding more inspiration on social sites - they show a 25 percent Y-o-Y increase. Those finding inspiration on television and in magazines is down 22 percent Y-o-Y.

People believe their peers on social media more than ever before. The biggest influencer for holiday shopping was recommendations from friends and family on social media, with 68 percent of survey participants ranking at the top. Sixty-three percent were influenced by Amazon reviews, and 24 percent were swayed by blogger endorsement. Traditional media and celebrity endorsements filled out the bottom three on the list.

In-store mobile use has also increased dramatically. Sixty-seven percent use social sites on mobile devices while shopping, up from 24 percent last year. Fifty percent of those mobile users are actively comparing prices with online stores, 14 percent are sharing deals via social media and 13 percent are texting friends to validate their purchasing decisions.

To see how Twitter's influence has decreased, or how differing networks are accessed at different points on the purchasing path, view the infographic below:

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Social Media Has Changed How Consumers Shop Online [Infographic]

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Social media has begun to replace a lot of activities that used to take place on other parts of the Internet. It seems that one of the greatest areas impacted is the way users shop online. An infographic from Crowdtap examines how social media has changed holiday shopping drastically.

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Social Media Marketing Pros and Cons - Resources

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Make sure you consider these social media marketing pros and cons.

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Facebook is betting on the popularity of buy and sell websites like Kijiji and Craigslist with its latest feature dubbed "Marketplace." But Canadians will have to wait for it.

The feature, announced Monday, will allow users to buy and sell items with friends and people within their community. Just like existing buy and sell options, users will be able to interact with buyers and place offers on items they are interested in. To sell an item, users can simply upload a photo, set a name and include a description and price.
READ MORE: Facebook is getting rid of clickbait in your newsfeed
The feature will launch this week in the U.S., UK, Australia and New Zealand. Facebook has not yet announced Canadian availability for the new feature, but noted that more countries would be included in the coming months.

Marketplace is based off of existing user behaviour; according to Facebook, more than 450 million people visit buy and sell groups on the platform every month.

Of course, Facebook users will be required to follow the company's rules and regulations when it comes to what kind of products they buy and sell online. For example, Facebook does not condone the sale of weapons and guns, animals, fraudulent goods (like fake designer purses), and prescription or recreational drugs. And, as The Verge pointed out, those who use Facebook Marketplace will not be protected by money back guarantees that sites like eBay have - in other words, you take the risk in buying from another user.
READ MORE: Are you really talking to your friends on Facebook? Woman loses thousands over scam
However, some buy and sell platforms have found that forcing users to sell using their "real identities" by signing in with their Facebook profiles provides some safety.

Take for example Canadian startup VarageSale. To use the platform users are required to sign up with their Facebook account to verify who they really are. Before you are accepted into a community, a VarageSale administrator is tasked with validating your profile.

Varagesale admins look for a number of identifiers to make sure the person is from the community and isn't using a fake profile - for example, do they have mutual friends with other community members, do they have pictures that identify themselves, do they have a lot of friends from surrounding areas.

In 2015, Varagesale creator Carl Mercier told Global News that having users use their real names made them more accountable to produce friendly and safe sales.
READ MORE: Canadian startup VarageSale aims to make online buying, selling safer for families
In an interview with The Verge, Facebook project manager Bowen Pan said the company is also betting on this anti-anonymity stance to encourage safe sales on Marketplace.

"We think knowing who you're transacting with is very important," Pan told The Verge.

According to the report, Marketplace will also show potential buyers additional information about your profile, including how long you have been on Facebook, so that they can feel better about buying from you.
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Tips for selling your stuff online

If you are looking to do a little de-cluttering of your own, Varagesale's Mercier has some tips for posting good listings online:
Good pictures sell items fast
Make sure that it's a clean, well lit environment. Most people will only see your picture, so you want your picture to be really attractive.

Try taking pictures outside, or beside a big window, where the lighting is natural and will light your items better than indoor lighting - this is especially important for furniture items, so people can see the true colour of items.
Don't be scared to list a lot of items
If you are desperately trying to de-clutter, don't be shy about listing everything and anything. You never know who might be interested.

Buy and sell platforms often favour multiple listings. People using these services typically scroll through listings and may not be looking for one particular item, so people end up buying things that they didn't know they needed.
Be willing to negotiate
Don't have your heart set on a specific price for your item - one of the benefits of a buy and sell website is that you can barter on price, allowing you to reach new sellers.

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Facebook launches Marketplace so you can sell items to friends - but Canada will have to wait

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Facebook is betting on the popularity of buy and sell websites like Kijiji and Craigslist with its latest feature dubbed "Marketplace." But Canadians will have to wait for it. The feature, announced Monday, will allow users to buy and sell items with friends and people within their community.