Chicago, IL (PRWEB) October 27, 2011
Performics (http://www.performics.com), the performance marketing agency owned by Publicis Groupe, today unveiled its 2011 Social Shopping Study which found men are more likely than women to conduct five of six social shopping activities. Contradicting commonly held beliefs about gender and social behaviors, the study showed men more frequently research product information, read reviews, compare products, find product availability and get store information via social networks, shopping and deal sites; while women reign supreme when searching for deals, coupons and specials on similar sites.
Aside from Facebook, men frequent social networks (at least once a month) substantially more than women:
YouTube (54 vs. 34 percent)
Twitter (37 vs. 24 percent)
Google+ (36 vs. 24 percent)
Myspace (31 vs. 20 percent)
LinkedIn (20 vs. 16 percent)
Facebook (96 vs. 97 percent)
Women are reported to control about 80 percent of household spending, so it may be surprising for some to see men play a more dominant role in the social shopping and research process, said Dana Todd, SVP, marketing and business development for Performics. But given recent reports of digital dads and increases in shared shopping activities across genders, this new data is intriguing. Weve layered social network behavior with shopping patterns and the results are helpful for marketers trying to predict how social shopping figures into upcoming holiday campaigns. Many may not have considered specifically targeting men in social ads.
Aside from key gender differences, the study, conducted by ROI Research Inc., also revealed that active social networkers most often turn to shopping sites like Amazon, eBay or brand websites to begin the purchase process when searching for a product (87 percent) and right before they commit to a purchase (83 percent). They are more likely to turn to social networks such as Facebook immediately after the purchase to share their experience (59 percent).
Many people have integrated social media in all phases of the shopping process, particularly because Facebook is how they connect with friends on mobile devices and at home. We all do itasking friends, family or colleagues to weigh in on a purchase, or posting a great find, added Todd. But its not all about social activity; shopping and deal sites are certainly holding their own and offer an excellent opportunity for marketers to participate with customers.
Online activity while shopping in-store is also gaining popularitymany respondents said they occasionally or frequently conduct in-store social (2050 percent) or search (1862 percent) activities. In fact:
Sixty-two percent said they conduct competitive price searches while in a retail location
Forty-five percent check-in at a store
Forty-one percent use a search engine on their mobile phone to look for information
Thirty percent use a barcode scanner on their mobile phone to shop for prices
Twenty-five percent pause while at a physical location prior to finalizing a purchase in order to seek advice on a social network; 41percent said they wait between five and 10 minutes for advice on social sites before proceeding with their purchase
The study explored the role of social networks, shopping sites and deal sites across many different aspects of the shopping experience, including phases of the purchase process, product categories, in-store shopping behaviors, gender differences and more. To view or download an accompanying infographic or copy of the studys summary of findings please visit Performics on SlideShare at: http://www.slideshare.net/performics_us
About Performics
Performics is the first global performance marketing company partnering with marketers to make smart marketing decisions that improve ROI. Founded in 1998, our performance specialists are certified experts in search, affiliate & feeds, and social & display channels across all screens. Performics, headquartered in Chicago with presence in 14 countries and regional hubs in London, Paris, and Singapore, is part of Publicis Groupethe world's third largest communications group and top global search spender.
Connect with us: performics.com | blog.performics.com | facebook | @performics
# # #
Related
Ebay Press Releases
