A plethora of social media platforms has given consumers new ways to shop.

So much so, that shoppers are now frequently using social media to inspire, inform and share their choices. They expect retailers to have a social presence and will happily engage and recommend brands they love.

Lithium Technologies reported that when a brand responds on Twitter 43% of people encourage friends and family to buy from that brand and 34% of people buy more of the company’s products.

With social media evident throughout the entire shopper journey – from awareness through exploration, shortlisting and finally to making the purchase itself – retailers have been presented with a raft of new ways to attract and engage their market.

Social media is now big business in retail, presenting fresh opportunities to unlock shopper potential. According to Internet Retailer’s Social Media 500, in 2014 the top 500 retailers grew their social commerce sales by 26% to $3.3 billion.

We’ve pulled together some of the latest insights to create this infographic, depicting the rise of social and its impact on shopper decision-making.

We work with retailers and brands to find new ways to connect with their shoppers, throughout their journey. We’d love to show you how. Get in touch today.

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