Social Commerce is Adding a New Twist to Digital Commerce in India

Social Commerce- The Trending Topic in Digital Commerce

The question that most ecommerce sellers are asking today is what is social commerce? Here are few facts about this type of commerce with respect to India:

That reminds us, we haven’t still answered your question as to what is social commerce? Here you go.

What is Social Commerce?

Social commerce is selling of products, from cataloguing to transaction, within the ecosystem of a social media platform. This means, to buy from you, a consumer does not have to be redirected to another site. He/she can make the purchase within the social app/site and continue browsing their Facebook newsfeed.

For example, within Instagram, you can enable in-app purchases so someone browsing through, likes a polka-dotted saree that you are selling, they can directly choose to click on the shopping link and buy it then and there.

Is it Similar to Social Media Marketing?

Social Commerce is very different from social media marketing. SMM is used to drive traffic to your website or ecommerce store on Amazon. In Facebook ads, a customer might browse through a carousel advertisement and see what is on sale on Myntra.

However, if they see a kurta they like, their click will redirect them to the Myntra app or website. It means social commerce is not equal to ecommerce. However, many ecommerce sellers are cleverly using social commerce to boost their business. We will cover this later in the article.

What are the Top Social Commerce platforms?

Perfect for New Online Businesses

Social commerce is a cost-effective way to start an online business. It’s the go-to-option when you even want to avoid the cost of a website. The caveat here is that it works for certain categories of products- especially those with a visual appeal. So entrepreneurs wanting to sell clothes, lifestyle products, home décor, stationery etc. will do well in social commerce.

One example of a brand that mainly grew its business via social commerce- Instagram to be specific is Propshop24. The founders found a need in the market for well-designed, carefully curated rare gifts. Leveraging the visual power of Instagram, the company grew a steady base of customers who in turn helped them grow further via word of mouth. If you visit the link shared, you will get an idea of how a perfectly set up social commerce shop can be maintained. Everything Mom Made and DOODLAGE is other examples of businesses that grew multi-fold on social commerce.

In the Context of Social Reselling

In a complex country like India, the lines between various types of digital commerce are blurred. While globally, social commerce is strictly for in-app or on-website purchase of products on social media; reselling platforms have added a twist to the concept. As per an EY article that talks about social commerce, social reselling platforms such as SimSim, Meesho, GlowRoad, Bulbul have made selling social.

How Can ecommerce Sellers Use Social Commerce?

Apart from reselling platforms, regular ecommerce sellers can use social commerce to enhance their business in multiple ways. The platform may contribute in single digits to your business, but it has its benefits.  Here are some practical tips which we think, you will find useful.

As an ecommerce seller, there are multiple tools one can use to grow one’s business. Social commerce is one of them. You can use it to start a new business, engage with your customers or use it as your sole platform for online selling. Either ways, it helps to stay updated with the way social commerce is evolving in India and use it to your advantage. 

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