by Nissa Hanna
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- Facebooking consumers who are jaded by Likes that lead to no clear personal benefit have a new reason to make the effort: sale alerts from TheFind.
- The shopping search engine’s Facebook app (called Glimpse) now includes Universal Price Alerts, a feature that lets users know when a product they Like goes on sale (LATimes.com, 11 July 2012). Shoppers can track items from a variety of lifestyle retailers, including Sephora, J. Crew, Pottery Barn and Design Within Reach.
- According to TheFind’s chief executive Siva Kumar, it’s an opportunity to close a gap in the consumer-brand Facebook relationship by helping stores “get back” to their fans.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- As it stands, the active shopper’s Facebook engagements can feel a little one-sided. Users offer personal info, and retailers return the favor with … well, rarely a justifiable equivalent.
- Although consumers aren’t currently keen to purchase through Facebook, it can be a viable part of the shopping process. For that to happen, retailers need learn how to position themselves as platform partners for discovery, personalization and access.
RESOURCES
