Is social media worth the investment for retailers? That’s a big question and one that the team wanted to answer in this month’s Market Watch feature (page 6). If you are already engaging with customers via social channels, you know you have to have resources and a plan behind your actions. If you are not there yet, the prospect of it could seem a bit daunting and you may be asking: Is it really worth it? There are so many sites to choose from; which ones should I get involved with? What’s my return on investment?
At Interactions, many of our partners have similar questions, so we set out to find out what consumers truly want from their retailers in terms of social media. In addition to our experts debating the topic in this month’s cover story, in our latest Retail Perceptions report, we interviewed consumers across the U.S. on this very subject. Over 75 percent of shoppers told us they expect retailers to have a social media presence. In fact, 42 percent prefer to shop at retailers that connect with them through social over ones that don’t. If social media seems like it could be inviting trouble, with opinions—both good and bad—out there for the world to see, get this: Shoppers told us that while social media drives them to a store, bad reviews do not mean they will leave.
You know your customers the best, so you know what they’ll respond to. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, by any means. It’s hard to ignore the numbers, though, and the fact that whether you are part of the conversation or not, the discussion is still happening with or without you.
Thank you for taking the time to read our publication, and as always, I hope you find this issue both informative and enjoyable.
All the best,
 Kelly Short |