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Our initial brief in this 2-­‐part series explored the evolving role of
user-­‐generated content from a channel, device, and research point-­‐of-­‐view. We are now going to broaden our dialogue to discuss community, an area heavily in flux
relative to online research and
user-­‐generated content as touched upon in Brief I, emphasizing Facebook. As social and sharing conventions become an important part
of our culture, they are also pervading and integrating within the
online shopping experience, making
it imperative for us to understand their dynamics. Being a precursor to
broader social strategies, the insights gleaned from retail communities are valuable, serving as
a transition to our more topical Facebook discussion. Through survey findings and food-­‐ for-­‐thought questions, this brief will cover how
both are utilized, the ways and degrees in which consumers are participating, along with what they seek to accomplish during those experiences. The ability to compare and contrast retail community behavior to that seen via Facebook sheds light on opportunities for retailers, with a watchful eye on bottom line performance. We encourage merchants to move beyond their preliminary, low levels of participation as this “social” audience likely represents the future of online shopping behavior. Today’s voyeur is tomorrow’s customer so understanding the shifting embrace of both community and Facebook will be time well spent.