Social media shoppers on the rise

Some 44% of British shoppers follow brands on social media in the hope of receiving discounts, according the 2015 Shopper Barometer carried out by research consultancy Future Thinking. The survey also found that a third of UK shoppers use social media platforms to seek advice or leave an opinion about a product or brand.

The survey, in its third year, assesses over 1,200 UK consumers to determine future shopping trends.

Noreen Kinsey, head of shopper insight at Future Thinking, said, “People want to spend less on their weekly shop, with 63% of consumers using a discounter store regularly; but more messaging around range and overall quality is needed to transform discounters into main shopping destinations.”

Social media plays a crucial role for shoppers with over a quarter following retailers on social media and more than half liking or following brands on social media. Of these shoppers, the biggest group are the under 35s (60%) followed by families (59%) and women (51%).

Research found that 92% of UK consumers have purchased a product or service online in the last year; however, only 13% regularly buy groceries online. The survey showed that most consumers want to see new technology in card-only checkouts in supermarkets.

Kinsey said, “Despite the well-documented ‘buzz’ around rapid advances in technology, including ‘delivery drones’ and mobile payments, it is interesting to see that this hype is not generally reflected amongst consumers. The biggest opportunity for consumers and retailers appears to be on social media, where users are engaging in the hope of receiving discounts, and retailers can employ more effective marketing to a ‘captive’ audience.”