The rise of social networks encourages the socialization of users and their integration into groups with similar interests since sharing experiences makes users emotionally involved. These values ​​have reached the electronic commerce that has turned the consumption in a social act, propitiating between the new companies approaches to the capture of clients. “The phenomenon is seen as an added value for both merchants and buyers because a new way of interrelation opens up,” says CiudadMarket, the first social shopping channel.

The social exchange that occurs when making a purchase changes the traditional orientation of the sale. Unidirectional communication has become obsolete to make way for a reciprocal and proactive information channel. The client now enjoys a greater volume of information that feeds and constantly increases through comments and responses.

Promotional campaigns, both products and services and shops, have become authentic social events, where what matters most is the impact on the audience and the “noise” that is generated around them. If a large investment in advertising is made, but it does not touch the emotional fiber of the consumer and dissemination and virality are not generated, the message will have failed. It is necessary that communication is proactive, not exclusively commercial. An open attitude on the part of the stores towards the needs of the consumer facilitates and reinforces their trust and loyalty.

The possibility of interacting with the stores and sharing the experience with a community of consumers converts the purchasing process into an experience. The most common social actions consist of creating opinion forums or making price comparisons. Direct sales no longer focus on the product but on the experience throughout the entire process of interaction and purchase. This influences the perception of the company, which translates into an increase in loyalty on the part of the consumer.

The complementation of sales channels has become a necessity for companies. Combining information about a product or service, creating a debate on the subject, answering questions directly or offering special promotions according to the type of client are just some of the advantages that this new system brings.

There are already a few portals that integrate online shop windows, promotions and social networks or forums to meet the needs of customers. These portals are in continuous evolution thanks to the “eagerness to collect suggestions and meet the needs of users to participate in a collective and complete purchase process from the emotional point of view”.

Social promotions

In social promotions, the protagonist is the user. The participation of the same results in the acquisition of a special offer that has been shared. The so-called “incentivized traffic” can be developed through different channels: through the “Like” button on Facebook, sharing through Twitter, and generating a number of constant comments on offers on social networks.

Involving consumers generates more traffic in those e-commerce platforms that apply it. Offers based solely on a very attractive price work, but have been reduced their effectiveness to have become a constant for all businesses.

The information that companies can collect about users on platforms and social networks is essential for the creation of specific offers according to the public. Promotions that respond to specific needs and follow the trend of the latest trends in social platforms.