e-Commerce Firm + Social Media Firm = Gold or Why Alibaba strategy with SinaWeibo is right

Companies like Amazon and Alibaba don’t control all the steps of the consumer purchasing process. They will never do.

@value2020 American & Chinese eCommerce – October 2012 – https://value2020.wordpress.com/

However, firms can influence the consumer behavior.

Where are people more personal on the Internet?

Mainly on social media.

After identifying a need, a consumer searches for information. External research is conducted when a person has not enough knowledge about a product or service, which then leads her/him to seek more information, especially when a person’s previous experience is limited or deemed inefficient.

We distinguished 3 types of sources:
-personal sources: e.g. word of mouth from colleagues, friends or family
-public sources: e.g. online forums, consumer reports
-marketer dominated sources: e.g. corporate and brand websites, sales persons, advertising

The Influence of Social Media

Social Media has a strong influence collecting and sharing tastes, interests, opinions on products and services. We already explained how important it was for firms like Facebook back in 2012. Social media gathers all types of sources the consumer needs.

If the e-Commerce firm is involved in a social media, the firm is more likely to influence the purchasing decision purchase and get the revenue from the consumer.

Why not a partnership Amazon-Facebook?
Why not a partnership 360buy-WeChat?