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Abstract
Nowadays, many firms are exploiting the social media tools in order to attract consumers by participating and/or engaging in a collaborative online social environment. Social commerce has evolved to include a plethora of social media tools and strategies that can be used in the context of e-commerce. The purpose of this paper is to explore the content of related works about social media and business in order to propose a classification framework based on social commerce dimensions. Furthermore, this study investigates new social media tools and presents some directions for retailers to use social media's potential for improvement their business strategy. Finally, it provides recommendations for future research studies in social commerce. Because the field of social media is under explored, especially from a business perspective, a qualitativeexploratory methodology has been chosen. Results show marketers should realize the growing popularity of social media among customers and devise marketing strategies to cater to their needs, thus fostering a satisfying experience for customers. Blending new social channels together more effectively will increase marketing efficiency and sales.
Keywords: Social Commerce, Social Media, E-Commerce, E-Marketing Strategy
© Mahdi Shadkam and James O'Hara, 2013
INTRODUCTION
Over recent years, consumers are becoming very digitally savvy, crossing generations and cultures alike, and social is ingrained into their digital worlds. As it continues to break through social and cultural boundaries, digital is something we have all become ever more dependent upon as being a natural part of our daily lives. The increasing growth of social media is the evidence of this thought. A research by Nielsen/Mckinisey Company (2011) shows the number of active Internet users who visit blogs and social network sites is approximately 80% of all, also these sites are the top destination online.
As social media continue to gain in popularity, marketers are searching for a firm foundation on which to base their strategic decisions regarding how to employ social media to engage and influence their customers (Hoffman & Novak, 2012). Just as retailers gravitate to densely populated, highly trafficked areas in the real world, they are now following that model in the virtual world. Rather than hoping for customers to come to them, they are going to where hundreds of millions consumers are not only spending their time...