Social Commerce: Dedicated to Lazy Customers
Today, the term “social commerce” can be heard more and more often, so what lies under it? In fact, I really do not want to pour in obscure words, on the contrary, you need to explain everything as simply as possible and “humanly”, all the more so since many people have been using this method for a long time in order to promote brand and make money. 
So, social commerce is online buying and selling through social networks. E-commerce in action.
It is no coincidence that the title says that social commerce is dedicated to lazy customers. The fact is that it is enough just to have accounts on social networks in order to make purchases without the slightest unnecessary “gestures”, focusing on the opinions of other people, without having to do it yourself! Of course, the word "lazy" is a convention, but it clearly describes the whole process.
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Social commerce is a win-win process, and this win-win is not an exaggeration. Users of social networks have the opportunity to make purchases with maximum comfort, and businessmen - a wide horizon for business development.
The characteristic difference with the plus sign of social commerce is that the opinion of one person in social networks can change the opinions of hundreds and even thousands of other potential buyers of yours.
All businessmen use a simple algorithm of actions:
And yes, it works, and it’s been not the first year. In 2005, Yahoo! Introduced the term "social commerce" to describe a number of online tools for certain JOINT Internet users.
It is quite difficult to “dissect” social commerce, since the phenomenon is quite multifaceted, it is not even limited to social networks, but in Russia the most common form is groups, so-called communities in social networks.
And here is the formula that David Biesel and Steve Rubel once derived. It was they who developed the concept of e-commerce at one time, which boiled down to receiving advice from customers, recommendations from other network users, the ability to find services and goods, and then buy them, guided by recommendations.
Today, both the social network Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki make extensive use of these features:
In groups and communities it is very easy for people to exchange opinions, discuss products and services, therefore, efficiency is high. One user may ask the question: “Damn, I want to buy new trousers, but I doubt the quality,” to which another user logically answers: “I already took! Everything is super! ”, And the process begins, which businessmen were waiting for. This is a sale!
In the West, it all started with the social network Facebook, and it was she who became the starting point for social commerce, now in Russia there is a movement in this direction. Here are just a few numbers about social commerce on a global scale, based on Facebook data:
These data can not impress - they clearly say that the principle works successfully!
The right platform is the secret to success.
Do you need a platform?
In fact, it is not always needed, but only in some cases, but let's go on the other side and consider briefly the main forms of social commerce:
That's all. Otherwise, there are applications that need to be developed, each of them has its own platform. As a result, social networks appear full-fledged online stores with the ability to pay for goods. The functionality, of course, is much larger than that of, say, a simple group.
You can identify several of the most "advanced" platforms:
This is not a complete list, but the most efficient, that is, you can rely on these platforms!
If everything is so profitable and convenient, then what to expect in the future? Probably, it is mandatory to leave everything and do social commerce? Everybody knows that already now a whole chain of actions leads to social commerce.
The steps are simple:
But what will happen next? Let's see, having studied the main trends:
However, now there is something to strive for, as the prospects are truly overwhelming!
Yes, there are still problems, there are directions for improving social commerce, but it is already clear that this is, if not a “gold mine”, then, as already noted, mutually beneficial cooperation for both parties!
People like it, business owners - businessmen - are happy!
Decryption
So, social commerce is online buying and selling through social networks. E-commerce in action.
It is no coincidence that the title says that social commerce is dedicated to lazy customers. The fact is that it is enough just to have accounts on social networks in order to make purchases without the slightest unnecessary “gestures”, focusing on the opinions of other people, without having to do it yourself! Of course, the word "lazy" is a convention, but it clearly describes the whole process.
')
Simple action algorithm
Social commerce is a win-win process, and this win-win is not an exaggeration. Users of social networks have the opportunity to make purchases with maximum comfort, and businessmen - a wide horizon for business development.
The characteristic difference with the plus sign of social commerce is that the opinion of one person in social networks can change the opinions of hundreds and even thousands of other potential buyers of yours.
All businessmen use a simple algorithm of actions:
- They communicate in social networks with their clients.
- The next step is to increase traffic in the online store.
- Ideally, for each customer, their own personal interaction with the brand is created.
- Forming their own full-fledged community
And yes, it works, and it’s been not the first year. In 2005, Yahoo! Introduced the term "social commerce" to describe a number of online tools for certain JOINT Internet users.
And how is it in practice?
It is quite difficult to “dissect” social commerce, since the phenomenon is quite multifaceted, it is not even limited to social networks, but in Russia the most common form is groups, so-called communities in social networks.
And here is the formula that David Biesel and Steve Rubel once derived. It was they who developed the concept of e-commerce at one time, which boiled down to receiving advice from customers, recommendations from other network users, the ability to find services and goods, and then buy them, guided by recommendations.
Today, both the social network Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki make extensive use of these features:
In groups and communities it is very easy for people to exchange opinions, discuss products and services, therefore, efficiency is high. One user may ask the question: “Damn, I want to buy new trousers, but I doubt the quality,” to which another user logically answers: “I already took! Everything is super! ”, And the process begins, which businessmen were waiting for. This is a sale!
Facebook era
In the West, it all started with the social network Facebook, and it was she who became the starting point for social commerce, now in Russia there is a movement in this direction. Here are just a few numbers about social commerce on a global scale, based on Facebook data:
These data can not impress - they clearly say that the principle works successfully!
The right platform is the secret to success.
Do you need a platform?
In fact, it is not always needed, but only in some cases, but let's go on the other side and consider briefly the main forms of social commerce:
- As already mentioned, groups or communities in social networks
- Discount services, where the socialization mechanism is also actively used.
That's all. Otherwise, there are applications that need to be developed, each of them has its own platform. As a result, social networks appear full-fledged online stores with the ability to pay for goods. The functionality, of course, is much larger than that of, say, a simple group.
You can identify several of the most "advanced" platforms:
This is not a complete list, but the most efficient, that is, you can rely on these platforms!
And how will it be?
If everything is so profitable and convenient, then what to expect in the future? Probably, it is mandatory to leave everything and do social commerce? Everybody knows that already now a whole chain of actions leads to social commerce.
The steps are simple:
- Customer support - satisfying their requests
- Public Relations - Work on Reputation
- Advertising - promotion of its recognition
- Market research - enhancing information content
- Directly sales - trade
But what will happen next? Let's see, having studied the main trends:
- The public is changing the consumption paradigm. This means that there is a mixture between the virtual and the real worlds. People have access to smartphones, tablets. It is not surprising that they use them for shopping. Everything is quite logical!
- Data from social networks will determine sales. That is, buyers will look at what people are already saying in networks, based on their opinion. The decision is often taken collectively.
- The transition from the explicit “Message from the brand” model to the “User market” model is already taking place
- Social data is actively used and will be used to increase sales.
Striving for the light!
However, now there is something to strive for, as the prospects are truly overwhelming!
- You should not just learn from the experience of the West. We have a different mentality. What works there "with a bang," may simply not work in Russia.
- At the moment, the platforms do not allow to be fully realized (Odnoklassniki, VKontakte).
- It is necessary to find an opportunity to target advertising, fully advertise goods and services within the network, etc. The Odnoklassniki network, for example, simply writes its platform!
Yes, there are still problems, there are directions for improving social commerce, but it is already clear that this is, if not a “gold mine”, then, as already noted, mutually beneficial cooperation for both parties!
People like it, business owners - businessmen - are happy!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/157843/
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