Facebook vs. Pinterest: The Social Shopping Experience

MARK5002 Integrated Digital Media

Social media sites are being used more and more to purchase goods online. Traditionally when going online to purchase something we, the consumer, would go directly to the companies site or a retailers site. For example lets say I'm interested in buying a new camera. Traditionally I would go look on such sites as BestBuy or Black's Photography to do research about the camera and eventually buy. While now I may still buy directly from one of those sites, how I get to these sites and what prompts my decision to buy has changed. While looking through my Facebook news feed, read a tweet on Twitter or boards on Pinterest I may see a camera I'm interested in, or a comment someone has made about a camera. I also may find a photograph that I find inspiring and through that learn what type of camera was used to take it. It is through the interaction with other consumers that I'm influenced.

Now, of all the social media sites being used today, what site is more likely to influence or cause me to make a purchase? Before doing any research my educated guess would have been between Facebook and Pinterest. So, which site does have more influence over the consumer?

According to an article from Hubspot "Pinterest buyers spend more money, more often, and on more items then users from any of the other top five social media sites". Pinterest drives referrals to a businesses site. As we look through Pinterest boards and like, comment or repin something that interest us we are in turn sharing this information with others by saying we endorse what we are seeing/reading.  Going back to my camera example, if I see a beautiful photo on Pinterest I may click on that image in order to learn what camera was used to take this photo. This may then lead me to say, Canon's site where I will see the type of camera used. I then may make a purchase and in turn like and repin the original photo from Pinterest, possibly leading another consumer to do the same as I have.

The Social Shopping Experience

Food for Thought
Where have your most recent online purchases come from?
Do you click on Ads on Facebook? If yes, does that lead you to make a purchase ever?
Have you ever made a purchase from something you have found on Pinterest?

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