Kelli Jagger
It is no surprise that social media breaks marketing boundaries every day and is practically essential to any and all businesses, but the latest trend in social media is how it is being used for e-commerce. Most people are aware of how businesses are using platforms like Instagram to directly target their audiences to drive them to their businesses or online stores. However, the latest upcoming trend is small businesses who are selling their products or services right through social media, organizing details with clients over direct message. This easy-access selling technique makes it more convenient for target audiences to purchase a company’s product or service since they do not have to go to a website or go beyond their typical day-to-day social media scrolling, which historically tends to lose engagement.
The most popular example is small business owners who are selling vintage clothing through Instagram. Companies like Grail and Vinty Baby post vintage finds on their page and buyers purchase the item through direct message. This is more convenient for these small businesses as they do not need to spend money on purchasing a domain or giving a percentage of their profit away to selling host websites such as Etsy.
Especially amongst teenagers and young adults, social media platforms are becoming the biggest shopping tool. Competing platforms are taking notice and working on expanding features that allow more accounts to become business accounts that promote such retail activities on these accounts. For up and coming entrepreneurs with small businesses, this is definitely a cost-efficient and effective selling tool they will want to take part in.