Social commerce for retail: three examples of brands doing it well

It’s no secret that online sales are on the rise globally, with a recent study expecting them to account for over 22% of all retail sales by 2023. Predictions like this have caused retailers and fashion brands to increasingly invest in and prioritize online sales programs. One of the predominant ways brands do this is through so-called “social commerce:” the integration of commerce with social media.

Social commerce engages customers directly and drives sales for your brand. It is a two-way street: retailers can turn social engagement directly into conversions and sales, while consumers benefit from a richer social media experience. It’s the latest innovation for direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, in which brands sell directly to shoppers and bypass negotiations with a reseller.

Here are few instances of social commerce for retail and three examples of brands doing it well:

1. Nordstrom and livestreaming: It hosts shows like ‘how to wear Burberry runway looks’, a spring beauty trend happy hour, and a conversation with British makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury. Viewers will be able to purchase products featured in the live stream and participate in a live chat room.
2. AllBird’s Instagram reach: To celebrate their 30th birthday, Allbirds created a special edition birthday collection available only on Instagram. They were able to reach out to Instagram’s wide audience without putting their entire product catalog on the site whilst creating a sense of exclusivity and FOMO because that particular collection never appeared on their eCommerce website.
3. Jenny Boston uses Facebook to increase audience engagement: Each Wednesday evening, Jenny Boston promotes selective products with offers exclusive to Facebook users. They post photos and descriptions of the apparel, users have to comment “sold” to purchase them at that exclusive price. Jenny Boston witnessed a spike of 617% in a single month through this approach.

There are more such nuances and strategies of social commerce. To learn more about similar tactics, read my blog.