More Consumers Using Social Networks and Personalized Shopping for Purchasing Decisions

There's a lot to be said about the emerging importance of social sharing among commerce sites.  Product reviews, wish lists, user recommendations, and other sharing features give customers greater trust in what they're planning to buy.  After all, it's the every day customer--free from journalistic obligations--who's sharing his or her real world experience with that iPod or alarm clock you're coveting.

In the case of music purchases, more customers are relying on online recommendations and social networks rather than professional reviews.  Avail Intelligence says that almost eight out of 10 listeners are following this trend.  iTunes and Facebook are two of many online venues music fans are looking to for the latest reviews and opinions of a band, artist, or album.

Avail Intelligence sees this as much more than just a music trend, but a general trend in eCommerce.  Personalized shopping should be an important part of an e-tailer's overall marketing strategy to build customer loyalty, bridge communication between like-minded shoppers, and increase overall dollars per checkout.  Commerce sites need to stand out from the glut of other sites or face long-term struggles in the marketplace.