More US retailers 'adopting social media marketing'

19th August 2008

Online marketing campaigns incorporating elements such as social shopping, virtual worlds and video are becoming more popular among retailers in the US, according to a new study.

Retailers are turning to the social channel to target teenagers and young adults as the back-to-school season gets underway, JupiterResearch said.

It pointed to the likes of JC Penney and Sears, which have both included social media in their fashion marketing campaigns.

The company indicated that the economic downturn, which has led to fears of lower consumer spending on back-to-school items, has prompted retailers to take new approaches to marketing.

David Schatsky, president of JupiterResearch, added: "Retailers experimenting with Web 2.0 experiences will largely find benefit from them in the form of branding and awareness building rather than direct sales as social media has shown little direct impact on actual online retail sales."

About 11 million UK web users visited a social networking site in 2007, according to an eMarketer report released in June.