Spurred by the demands of a fast-growing virtual world, social media platforms have become the first point of introduction for consumers to find and follow their favorite brands or search for the latest trendy product. Whereas before one may have initially been intrigued by eye-catching packaging or visit a website to look for products to sign up for emails and keep up with the latest news, the interconnectedness of digital communities has consumers scrolling on social platforms to purchase products, browse brand updates and find information on the latest goods. With the release of Instagram Shops, TikTok’s partnership with Shopify and Facebook’s integration with WhatsApp, consumers can now shop for products they see featured on social, without leaving the app.
While in-app shopping isn’t something extremely new for online retailers, especially after a year-long global pandemic, consumers are also looking to buy quality products from brands that take a stand on societal and environmental issues.