When it comes to online engagement with brands, online coupons were the most used interaction by shoppers; higher even than visiting brand Web sites. Within this category, Food brands led the surveyed categories with 21 percent of shoppers saying they had downloaded online coupons. Interestingly, a mixed bag of categories (Entertainment, Household Products, and Apparel) follow closely behind—showing that the Web-savvy shopper is looking for discounts across the board.
Where Does Social Media Fit In?
Increasing brands’ presence within the social media space is the cost of entry for many manufactuers, so it’s interesting that only 6 percent of consumers overall reported following a brand via this channel. It’s not surprising to see Entertainment brands (movies, music, books, etc.) lead social interaction as they are often popular topics shared on the Web. However, it’s at a meager 4 percent of social share for all consumers. Even apparel brands, which could potentially offer some amount of social badging and status, reach less than 2 percent of consumers.
For more information on the converging worlds for digital and retail, download the latest issue of The Checkout here.
