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Hybris study finds consumers prefer to purchase direct from retailer, instead of via social media

October 3, 2012

The communication software provider Hybris announced the results of its U.S. 2012 Social Media and Shopping Survey which analyzed U.S. consumers' attitudes, behaviors and purchasing habits with regards to retailers and their social media channels, according to a company press release. 

Hybris conducted the 2012 Social Media and Shopping Survey to provide a clearer understanding to businesses of how social media fits into the overall multichannel commerce landscape. The study surveyed more than 500 consumers in the U.S. across varied ages, with an almost equal distribution of genders. 

The study found that 65 percent of respondents do not visit social media channels to get information from retailers, instead preferring to go directly the retailers' websites or stores. Privacy of information on social media sites was of high concern to these respondents.

For the remaining 35 percent of consumers who do visit social media channels to interact with retailers, 75 percent of them chose Facebook as the channel they use most often, citing "to receive notices about sales" and "to receive coupons/online codes" as the primary reasons for "liking" a retailer’s Facebook page, with 74 percent of respondents selecting these options as the most important. 

In terms of Pinterest, when asked what they would like to see retailers provide when they click on their friends' pinned items, 52 percent ranked "to receive coupons" as their first choice in terms of importance.  This option was followed by "to receive special offers," "to see related products" and "to see consumers’ reviews/feedback regarding the products that were pinned," respectively.

When it comes to Twitter, 77 percent of respondents do not follow retailers on this social media channel.  For the respondents that do follow retailers on Twitter, 14 percent do so to receive coupons/online codes, 10 percent do so to receive notices about sales, 7 percent do so to learn about company news, 7 percent do so to to learn about new products and 4 percent do so to be able to address a retailer in a public way. 

"While social media channels can be valuable awareness-generating vehicles for retailers, they are not currently preferred options for consumers when it comes to purchasing, with consumers visiting retailers' social media sites to gather information that they will then oftentimes use to complete a purchase via another channel,” said Steven Kramer, North America president of hybris.  

"Consumers continue to want information when they want it, where they want it and how they want it, but when it comes to actually making a purchase, social media is not a preferred or trusted choice," he said. "This demonstrates the importance of retailers having a cohesive, cross-channel marketing and commerce strategy, with social media just a piece of the overall multichannel puzzle."

Read more about social media in retail.