Over 70% of Young Buyers Say Inclusivity Influences Purchasing on Social Platforms

The way people purchase products and items has changed over the years. Earlier, most people went to shops to buy their favorite products. With the advent of ecommerce, people switched to online platforms to make purchases. For the last couple of years, social shopping or making purchases on social media has gained popularity.Â

Sprout Social recently conducted a survey and released a report outlining shoppers’ perceptions, preferences, and attitudes toward social commerce to understand how customers plan on social shopping this year.Â

The study found that 98% of shoppers plan to purchase at least one item through influencer commerce or social shopping this year. The following are a few more interesting insights.

See more: PayPal to Acquire Pinterest for $45B, Boost Social Commerce Ambitions

Shoppers Buy on Social Platforms They Feel More Comfortable With

So, which social platforms do people plan to make purchases on? They will be the platforms where people feel comfortable spending more time. And the more time they spend on these platforms, the more likely they are to buy on them. The study found that the platform preferences vary according to generation.

For example, Generation Z shoppers prefer visual-first social platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. On the other hand, Baby Boomers may prefer Facebook to make a purchase. Further, it was found that women prefer to shop on Pinterest and TikTok while men prefer Twitch and Twitter.

Social Shoppers Use Social Platforms as Advisors To Find the Right Purchase

How do people buying on social platforms find the right item to buy? The study found that shoppers use social media platforms as a trusted advisor just the way they use a trusted person’s recommendations or Google to make purchases. They may search for additional information about a brand or item on Reddit or Instagram before purchasing. Alternatively, they may look into the products recommended by their existing network. Here are a few common ways people are finding the right product for them.

Common ways people are finding the right product

Source: Social Shopping in 2022 studyOpens a new window

Brands, too, play a significant role in guiding shoppers to their preferred items. It was found that more people found a product directly from a brand (both ads and organic content) than through their peers or influencers.

Recommendations and Inclusivity Significantly Influence Buying Behavior

Several factors influence a person’s buying behavior on social platforms. The study found that some of them include a friend’s recommendation, product reviews and comments, familiarity with the brand, and a partner’s recommendation. Friends were the biggest influencing factor for Generation X, Millennials, and Gen Z shoppers, followed by social media influencers. On the other hand, for Baby Boomers, trusted friends and family were the biggest influencers. Product reviews and comments ranked after these influencers.

Having said that, trust was the biggest motivator, either in a person who recommended or in a brand. The absence of trust could explain why product reviews and comments have a smaller impact on purchasing decisions.

Another important factor influencing their decision-making is inclusivity. About 60% of respondents said they would purchase from a brand that has inclusive marketing. Further, 72% of Millennials and 73% of Gen Z buyers said it was important. These buyers want the online communities to reflect the diversity of their offline communities.

The extent to which inclusivity matters to customers

Source: Social Shopping in 2022 studyOpens a new window

See more: The Benefits of Igniting Social Commerce With Omnichannel Customer Experiences

Social Shoppers Are Embracing Newer Platform Features to Shop

Social shoppers are getting more involved in their social networks and embracing emerging features. Some features include watching live streams, in-app shopping, engaging on live streams, sharing product/purchase reviews, and using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Social features customers are using and plan to use in 2022

Source: Social Shopping in 2022 studyOpens a new window

Livestreams were found to be the most popular platform feature. About 71% of people who watched live streams purchased a product on social platforms, and 48% plan to buy more through in-platform shopping features this year. In fact, 45% of respondents were excited to buy directly from their preferred platforms. Further, Gen Z shoppers are highly primed to use the live stream feature.

Besides live streams, people are also looking to use in-app shopping and immersive features. Again, the younger generation shoppers are keener on using these features than the older generations. Further, more than 85% of consumers using immersive technologies have started social shopping.

See more: 5 Social Commerce Best Practices To Win Consumers’ Hearts and Wallets

Our Take

The way people prefer to shop is changing fast. As mentioned initially, people preferred shopping in brick-and-mortar shops a few years ago. With ecommerce becoming more popular and due to the pandemic, more people shifted online. There have also been a few variations of online shopping, such as buy online pick-up in store (BOPIS). Now, social shopping is catching up, especially with the younger generations. According to Sprout Social’s study in 2021Opens a new window , 68% of shoppers bought at least one item directly from social media last year. This is expected to grow further, as found in Sprout Social’s latest study. Moreover, according to StatistaOpens a new window , about 71% of U.S. businesses expect to sell on social media by 2024.

With social media being an integral part of most people’s lives and more people preferring to shop on these platforms, it only makes sense for brands to establish their presence on Facebook Shops, TikTok Shopping, and similar shopfronts. Businesses that embrace social commerce now have an opportunity to outpace their competition this year and beyond.

What are your plans to embrace social commerce as a business? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window .