M-Commerce Drives Social Commerce

To conclude our series marking the release of our new Commerce Flagship Report (you can download a free copy here), today’s Chart explores how online shopping’s transition into a mobile-first activity will drive social commerce.

Although “buy” buttons haven’t spurred the interest in social shopping in the West that many might have hoped for, in the realms of product research and brand interactions, social has emerged as a convenient and trustworthy channel.

For social commerce to work, brands need to nurture these areas where social and commerce activities currently overlap the most, which explains the ongoing investments into product search capabilities from names like Instagram and Pinterest.

But with well over 2 hours spent on social media per day – most of it on mobile – social commerce needs to prioritize the user experience and engage them on their terms. Strong uptake of ad-blocking due to ad-weariness is a clear example of consumer backlash in the face of any marketing attempt that compromises their online experience.