Bazaarvoice’s Influenster community reveals the continued influence and power of social media, with the vast majority of global consumers (91%) now preferring to shop for beauty products via social platforms, as just 44% opt to browse for and purchase cosmetics in-store.
When you realise that 96% of global internet users are on social media platforms it is suddenly not so surprising that ecommerce is growing there. It has boosted the potential for brands exploring the possibilities of social commerce. The way that Social Media has grown and positioned itself as a fundamental daily activity for many people means it has a unique way of working favourably for businesses.
The rise of social commerce has signified a real shift away from B2C to C2C (business-to-consumer to consumer-to-consumer), as user-generated content (UGC) has become hugely influential for consumers. Content from other consumers, whether they’re subject matter experts or everyday influencers, brings credibility and authenticity to the shopping experience that brand content alone can’t emulate. Consumers have become advocates for beauty brands and products through UGC, and these unofficial ambassadors should be a key consideration for brand marketers in future.
Ed Hill, SVP EMEA, Bazaarvoice
With increasingly advanced shopping capabilities appearing on the likes of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and Pinterest, brands have been tapping into this commerce opportunity and the ease with which beauty products can be showcased via social has set it apart. Beauty is the sector to watch in the shift to social commerce, however this trend is also reflected in consumers’ clothing and homeware shopping preferences. The majority of consumers (81%) are also now shopping for clothes on social media compared to just 57% in-store, and rising home décor trends means 60% also prefer to shop for the home furnishing on social platforms versus 40% in-store.
In comparison, basic necessities such as food and beverage purchases are still happening predominately in-store (58%) compared to social media (47%). However, shopping for electronics is more finely balanced with 42% of consumers shopping for electronics via social platforms compared to 39% in-store.
