Survey: More “likes” can equal more dollars for online vendors

Research finds consumers seek engagement with brands as social networks become more influential in the purchase process

FREMONT, Calif, July, 12, 2011 – (BUSINESS WIRE) – BlueSnap Inc., the leader in hosted e-Business Digital Commerce solutions, today released the results of a survey on the impact of social media on the online shopping experience. The random at large consumer survey conducted via Facebook and Twitter examined the influence that social networks have on the digital commerce market, and ways in which vendors can leverage these networks to better engage shoppers and increase customer loyalty.

The survey “More ‘Likes’ Can Equal More Dollars for Online Vendors” found:

• 85 percent of survey participants visit social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn daily
• One in three consumers indicated that online vendors could better engage them by incorporating more social media elements into their sites
• More than half of all respondents reported that peer recommendations most influenced the purchases they make online.

As the popularity of social networks continues to grow, vendors have the

opportunity to capitalize on the social shopping trend by eliciting positive peer recommendations and reviews in order to drive consumers to their sites.

“In today’s digital economy, vendors must enable a fluid transaction process in order to ensure positive feedback on social media channels and build customer loyalty,” said Charlie Born, vice president of marketing at BlueSnap. “That’s why the BlueSnap focus has been on simplifying the shopping experience and streamlining the payment process, so that vendors not only will drive new visitors to their sites, but

they will keep visitors coming back time and time again.”

The survey “More ‘Likes’ Can Equal More Dollars for Online Vendors” also revealed:

More than half of survey participants consider an intuitive and simple order page the “ultimate” online experience

50 percent of respondents stated that limiting the amount of personal information required to purchase digital goods enhanced their shopping experience

The Forrester Research findings support the idea that today’s shoppers value a complete, immersive experience when it comes to purchasing online content. According to the study, consumers stated that their overall satisfaction lies in the total product experience, not just the content itself. Said Born, “In today’s digital economy, it has become essential for vendors to provide the best customer experience possible and secure positive peer reviews throughout the social Web.”

About BlueSnap

BlueSnap is a comprehensive global buying platform that fuels growth for companies serving digital, physical and mobile markets. A single dynamic platform, BlueSnap helps businesses grow faster through a configurable and flexible approach to eCommerce, Payment

Processing eMarketing and Subscription billing. Businesses can simply integrate BlueSnap’s innovative and powerful BuyNow capability solutions anywhere onto their web sites supporting any merchant buying model. BlueSnap’s global network securely supports over 5,000 online businesses in 145 countries in multiple languages, currencies, payment methods and devices.