Rise of Social Shopping and User Reviews
Why I think customer reviews and social shopping are important. Social shopping is an interesting concept which divides opinion amongst web commentators. Most are agreed that social shopping is a specific type of web service with its roots in the social explosion of Web 2.0. In their purest form the best social shopping sites provide an open independent platform where users can add products, post a review or provide a product rating. The sites are service orientated, providing the tools for others to use and as such rely heavily on user generated content to set the agenda. In essence the opportunity now exists for consumers to band together, discuss specific products and brands and provide an authentic alternative voice to the brand led marketing activity and conventional expert reviews we are all subjected to in other media. By sharing product knowledge and experiences, creating useful content, an empowered community consensus can emerge, highlighting the gems and warnin...