Social nets not shaping purchases... or did they just ask the wrong questions?

WARC article on social media impacts on purchase

I totally agree that purchase decisions are based on experience, recommendations and mix of media inputs, but i think this reseracher may have missed a key difference between the nature of the channels here. Of course people go to brand websites in that active research phase (why they hell would i search facebook when trying to compare camera specs?), but i'm sure if they asked the question around the role of recommendations i.e opinion of peers delivered through a social functionality, as opposed to 'do go to myspace for product info', he would have gotten quite a difference result.


NEW YORK: Consumer purchase decisions are informed by a mix of "old" and "new" media, but more traditional forms of communication appear to exert a greater influence than social networking websites, a new study by Harris Interactive has found.

Based on a survey of 2,355 American adults, the research firm argued the most common way shoppers collect information prior to buying a particular product was via a company website, with 36% of respondents adopting this course of action.

"Face-to-face" interaction with a "salesperson or other company representative" was mentioned by 22% of contributors, while 21% of participants spoke to someone "not associated with the company".

A further 19% of those polled found out about a brand from print advertising, with 15% doing so via broadcast ads, while 14% made judgements "based only on my past experience."

In terms of online behaviour, 19% of consumers used independent websites featuring product reviews – like Trip Advisor or Amazon – and 11% accessed internet message boards.

By contrast, just 4% of Harris Interactive's sample turned to social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace, with a similar number visiting "private social networking sites" and “customer communities".

Results varied slightly by age group, with 16% of 18–24 year olds employing social media to conduct product research.

However, this figure was 5% lower than for ads on TV and radio, and 6% below that for print executions among this demographic, and some 24% smaller than the number visiting company websites.

Ads on broadcast media were most widely-used among 25–29 year olds, at 22%, with print ads most popular among 50–64 year old shoppers, on 27%.

Some 57% of the company's panel also said they "communicated about my positive product/service experience to others" after making a purchase, while 41% "recommended" what they had bought to others.

By contrast, just 11% of this group did so with regard to a negative experience, and only 6% "recommended against" purchasing an item.

In expressing their positive or negative experience, 63% of respondents did so when talking to "a family member, business colleague or a friend."

A further 30% used email to do so, while 12% used a company website, 9% employed social networks, 8% opted for online message boards, and 7% added their comments to independent review websites.

Data sourced from Harris Interactive; additional content by WARC staff, 18 June 2009

Twitter powered car recommendations

Thanks Gerry.

Whether i'd buy one based on my tweets is another story, but nice idea:
http://caseyshultz.com/vw-ad.php

SUPERCOOK!

Thanks mashable for this highlight of MEGACOOL cooking site, Supercook... i totally agreee with the post on the final cracking of an idea that long held great promise.

Name: Supercook

Quick Pitch: Supercook finds recipes based precisely on the ingredients you already have. Unique search technology, “virtual” kitchen concept, and customized suggestions.

Genius Idea: Supercook finally executes on a concept that I have heard floated around for years: tasty recipes based off the items you already have. Supercook asks what’s in your kitchen and then uses that information to provide dozens, if not hundreds, of unique dishes that you probably would never have thought of on your own.

Adding ingredients to the supercook system is easy, and you don’t even have to register. The niftiest feature is the tag cloud of common items it pops up to make adding new ingredients easy. As you add items, the system automatically begins to suggest recipes based on those grocery items.

The recipes are aggregated from several recipe websites, including AllRecipe and RecipeZaar. The system even suggests yummy dishes to make that require one or two additional items, allowing you to discover more new foods.

One of my favorite features of Supercook though is the suggested shopping list. Based off the items you tell the system are in your kitchen, Supercook will provide a suggested list of additional items to buy to build amazing food delights.

Overall, Supercook is very simple, but that’s what makes it so easy to use. It doesn’t take long and it turns recipe hunting from a painful chore to an enjoyable adventure.