Analysts have often speculated on the impact of social networking on E-commerce - but a recent study from Canada seems to have found a distinct correlation between the two.The research, which focussed on the buying habits of Canadian internet users and was sponsored by search giant Yahoo! and Visa, has shown that those consumers who do their shopping online are more likely to be familiar with the range of social tools the web has to offer.
The research conducted by JC Williams Group showed that web Canadian E-commerce buyers were early adopters of social networking sites, demonstrating a correlation between online shopping and participation in social media.
Results suggested 29 per cent of online buyers had written a product review on the net, compared to just nine per cent of web users who did their shopping manually.
Another 19 per cent of online shoppers revealed they had posted video content on the web, against just eight per cent of their offline-buying counterparts.
And 35 per cent of E-commerce fans had written a blog at some time, in relation to just 21 per cent of regular shoppers.
The significance of user-generated content was illustrated by the study, when 60 per cent of online shoppers suggested consumer reviews were their most trusted source of information, compared to 31 per cent who chose magazines and newspapers.
Jim Okamura, senior partner at JC Williams Group, said: "Consumers are increasingly turning to their online community or network for advice instead of traditional mass media.
"It is indicative of the shift to an empowered consumer and the rapid fragmentation of media channels. It definitely presents a challenge for online marketers."
