Authors

1. Prof. A. Shameem

Affiliation

• Prof & Head Department of Management Studies Tagore Engineering College Chennai

Abstract

The traditional transactional model that characterised ecommerce is no longer the only path to purchase. Day by day purchasing is taking place online. By 2015, online retail sales in India are predicted to increase drastically. And social media and social networks are changing the way of shopping. They are transforming the way people behave online. Increasingly consumers are moving online before they have made purchase decisions and before the power of product or brand search can kick in.
Social shopping is a method of e-commerce where shoppers’ friends become involved in the shopping experience. Social shopping attempts to use technology to mimic the social interactions found in physical malls and stores. Today a social shopper is not just a buyer; he is an expert, critic, influencer and potential advocate.
This article is the result of an in-depth research study to explore the mindset and motivation of consumers online. It attempts to find out how consumers are behaving online and how social media is changing the retail landscape. The study throws light on how the social environment is changing the retail experience by facilitating and guiding consumers through their purchase consideration and how social media is influencing their buying decisions. The results of the study are significant as it is seen that more and more online shoppers are searching for the lowest price with consumer reviews fast catching up with search engine listing when it comes to purchase decisions.

Keywords

Social shopping ,, e-commerce ,

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