Topic > Social and Social Trends in the Retail Industry

Social media purchases have gone from 0 to $1 billion in just two years (Kim-Mai Cutler, 2016). Social media was initially used by brands to connect with their consumers as a means of advertising. However, social media platforms have evolved to offer much more than targeted and convenient media space. Social networking platforms like Twitter and Instagram are creating “one-click buy” buttons and “Like2Buy” features (Figure 2) that will prompt a direct response from the retailer or brand. (Smollan, 2015) Even though they are still in their early stages, one can only be intrigued and excited about the possibilities that social media has to offer as a purchasing tool.