In the Darwinian world of retailing, it's axiomatic that the big chains get bigger while the small guys, well, don't. But new research shows that independents may have an early advantage in grabbing the attention of consumers on Pinterest.
According to new research from Bizrate Insights, nearly 20 percent of shoppers claim they made a purchase on the Etsy.com marketplace site after seeing an image on Pinterest. Branded stores (13 percent) and small boutiques (12 percent) were next.
"Our research among online buyers shows that image sharing sites have inspired purchases, a trend that will likely grow as more categories/images/brands/retailers become available," said Hayley Silver, vice president, Bizrate Insights, in a statement. "Smaller retailers appear to be leading the charge on sites such as Pinterest, as exemplified by their ability to ignite a passionate base of supporters to gain sales through grassroots efforts. Therefore it is not surprising that today these retailers are in the spotlight. It will be interesting to see how the dynamic changes as larger retail brands begin to emulate or improve upon customer engagement in the new medium."
Many are beginning to see the opportunities to drive sales through Pinterest.
Research earlier in the year by SteelHouse found that 59 percent of Pinterest users have made a purchase based on what they saw on the site versus 33 percent of Facebook users.
The 2012 Social and Mobile Commerce Study, a joint research project by Shop.org, comScore and The Partnering Group, found that U.S. consumers follow an average of 9.3 retailers on Pinterest compared to 6.9 retailers on Facebook and 8.5 on Twitter.
- Smaller and independent stores lead in generating sales from Pinterest - Bizrate
- Pinterest Users Nearly Twice as Likely to Purchase Than Facebook Users, SteelHouse Survey Shows - SteelHouse
- Survey Finds Consumers Using Pinterest to Engage With Retailers More Than Facebook, Twitter - Shop.org
- Pinterest Attracts Followers and Purchases Follow - RetailWire