In China, shopping webcasts - short videos featuring social media personalities that both inform about products and facilitate instant purchases, have taken off.
In the U.S. people watch an informational video on YouTube and then go to Amazon to buy the product.
But, that may all be about to change as social media channels have begun to focus on selling stuff. Soon you will be able to watch that makeup tutorial video on YouTube and then buy eyeliner directly from the site. (Ovide, 2021)
Hmm. That sounds like QVC to me.
Same idea, different medium.
Last month, Dotdash bought Meredith Publications. Prior to the purchase, DotDash had 14 online publications including Serious Eats, TripSavvy, Investopedia, Verywell Health and Lifewire.
Now they have added print powerhouses including People, Better Homes & Gardens and Food & Wine, to their portfolio. People and BH&G both reach over three million paid subscribers and Dotdash projects the addition of them and the other Meredith publications to their portfolio will increase their reach to 180 million readers a month. (Tracy, 2021)
They intend to let the print versions of the magazines die out gracefully while they migrate content and audiences online.
Which brings us to Tik Tok. The job hunting advice on Tik Tok is no different from that carried in traditional channels - magazines, newspapers, blogs, etc. What is different is the person providing the information and the medium it is presented in. (Dill, 2021)
The question is are consumers driving these changes or are the companies?
Do you buy products or services on mobile. Which ones and why? Does instant purchasing appeal to you? Why or why not? How do you think others feel? Have you ever heard of QVC?
Have you read any of Dotdash's online publications? How about any of Meredith's magazines? Will you read People online or off?
Finally, do you go on Tik Tok for advice - job hunting or otherwise? If not, where do you go?
Ovide, S. (2021, November 15) Why the Internet Is Turning Into QVC. nytimes.com. Retrieved November 16, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/11/technology/social-media-youtube-shopping-destinations.html
Tracy, M. (2021, November 15) People Magazine Heads to New Ownership Again. nytimes.com. retrieved November 16, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/15/business/media/people-magazine-dotdash-meredith.html
Dill, K. (2021, May 20) Gen Z Gets Career Advice, One Tik Tok at a Time. wsj.com. Retrieved November 16, 2021 , from https://www.wsj.com/articles/gen-z-gets-career-advice-one-tiktok-at-a-time-11621526403
12 comments:
When TikTok first appeared I was very hesitant to download it but now I use it very often. I never thought that it can be a source for me to find new things but it is. I find all kinds of things from clothes, makeup, restaurants, etc. After the pandemic, I mostly buy things online because I find it more convenient so I believe instant shopping can be the future. I didn't know instant shopping existed and if it becomes a thing here in the US I will definitely use it. In my opinion, consumers drive these changes and there has been an increase in online shopping as well as influencers that persuade consumers so I think instant shopping is the perfect combination of both.
I believe it is the technological advance that drove these changes. Companies have to adopt and follow the trend in order to be profitable and not get left out. In my opinion, it benefits consumers too; people consume time shopping in-store, shopping online is much easier and faster.
Regarding instant purchasing, I like to purchase online since it saves time and avoids people. I do watch Youtube videos when I buy something pricey such as computers. I think it is a 'Boomer' thing to watch the YT video's as a reference...I read WSJ on my phone because I don't have to take care of the newspaper, I can read it on the train, and when I arrive and get off the train, I can simply put my phone into my pocket. However, if I read the paper version, I have to take care of the newspaper not to lose it.
There is no doubt that TikTok and other social media platforms changed people's purchase habits and the forms of advertisings. I don't use TikTok often, and I only use it for entertaining instead of gaining knowledge. I gain job hunting advice from my boss, professors, etc- intelligent people with enough life and job experience. However, I believe many use Tiktok as a tool to learn because TikTok is most popular among younger generations- 50% of the audience is under 34, with 32.5% aged between 10-19 and 41% users 16-24 (Aslam, 2021). Younger people would follow job hunting advice on social media since they are less experienced.
Reference: Aslam, 2021. https://www.omnicoreagency.com/tiktok-statistics/
I think people who go on TikTok for advice are looking for human interactions and entertainment at the same time. Traditionally media don’t present job hunting advice in an entertaining and visual way, which gives TikTok an advantage due to its video-based format. Experts that give job hunting advice in traditional media may seem far-fetched and not humane, which also makes advice-givers on TikTok look more approachable and relatable.
There are many advertising opportunities on Tiktok. I read a study that says TikTok remains the social media platform where users most appreciate advertising and are least likely to view ads negatively. In addition, the competition among advertisers are less intense compared to other social media platforms (the ad saturation rate is 21.2% for Facebook; 20.6% for Instagram, and 2.4% for TikTok)
Sharing a resource about advertising on Tiktok: https://content.revealmobile.com/hubfs/Reveal%20Mobile%20-%20Infographic%20Advertising%20on%20TIk%20Tok.pdf?utm_campaign=VL%20Outreach%20Nov%202021%20-%20Agencies&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=183966585&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8wXDG9hBK2eGhD_qTFZ1CKmJlVueHQvymeP2yK_dASQyJ2rceVwaKq9mm8Qdv0I4VJAEXjlSd61bMvgH4-_RZL1Qkz3bwJ1kcRty9fqc-j1QJIlzU&utm_content=183966585&utm_source=hs_automation
Younger generations aren’t watching network TV – they’re entertaining themselves (and informing themselves) on social media. So it’s not companies that are driving the migration of commerce to social media, consumers are: companies are just meeting their customers where they are.
I do buy products on mobile; especially when a particularly eye-catching ad comes across my Instagram. I’ve noticed how that platform has honed its interface over time so that it’s much easier to get from ad, to website, to “add to cart” button.
For me, the kinds of products that I buy on mobile are still more likely to be non-essentials (fashion, décor, etc). The convenience of instant purchasing for those kinds of impulse-buy products appeals to me. But I would never use mobile to buy bigger-ticket items that I’d want to comparison shop for (no Instagram-bought ceiling fans for me). On the other hand, younger users who feel more at home on these platforms probably would be enthusiastic about buying almost anything there.
I’ve heard of QVC but never used it. By the time I started consuming media, QVC was already considered pretty passe. I don’t read either DotDash’s or Meredith’s publications (or People for that matter). I get my news from the websites of the Times and NPR. I get product information from Google. Sometimes I’ll read an actual print paper, but it’s a rarity.
I don’t like to get information/ news / reviews from videos (on TikTok or anyplace else). I find they either move too fast or too slow: I like to digest information at my own pace. I’ve heard that there is a generational divide on this (with, for example, Gen X-ers gravitating towards tutorials) so my opinion is not surprising.
–Harrison Beck
In the case of where and how impulse shopping is impacting the consumers, I believe the companies provide the opportunity to allow consumers to drive the changes. A company created a social platform and a company introduced ads in the social platform. Consumers showed there was an appetite for this form of commerce, and began to drive how this form of commerce can exist through their behaviours.
I have seen QVC, but I don't recall purchasing anything, although the purchase intent was high. There is an opportunity cost to have to locate your wallet, call in, place the order by giving your information- and that is time to change your mind. Thanks to Google and other one-click services, because your payment and address is inserted in a blink of any eye, you hit the "submit" button and then later think, did I need that? Did I really just buy something? Shopping on mobile is too easy not to shop using this platform (e.g., a poorly designed website where you can't figure out how to check out).
I am sure I must have read one of Dotdash's online publication and definitely Meredith's magazines. I prefer to read print vs online (easier on the eyes and layout is more visually pleasing), given a choice. However, if everything moves to online only, when in Rome...
For advice, I'll start with Google and see what pulls up. On social, I have checked out certain Instagram accounts. I have yet to go to TikTok for advice, but now interested to check it out to see if they are actually giving good advice. LOL
I believe it is most definitely a mix of both the consumer and company which is driving the new medium in which information is being digested. I believe companies' willingness to move to a new medium is because of the greater demand and audience that is present on these platforms. Personally, I do buy products on my mobile phone due to targeted marketing. Instant purchasing does not necessarily appeal to me but being a target for an array of niche products and being showcased those products on Instagram is enticing. I have heard of QVC, however, I think that cellular apps are better as they have targeted marketing differing between social media users.
Dot Dash and Meredith’s magazine are new to me and I do not believe I would read People online as I heavily relate to its tangible publication more so for its nostalgia. However, as time changes, I may be swayed. I have gone on TikTok for advice although I am no longer on it as it is rather claustrophobic with content.
As a Gen X'er, I spent a large part of my life without social media or digital platforms because they didn't exist. Because of this, it took me quite a while to adjust to shopping online but in recent years, mobile shopping has become my "go-to". I mostly purchase household items and things I can research before I buy them. If I buy clothes or something that I'm trying for the first time, I make sure there is a good return policy. I use instant purchasing when it is available. Once I know that I want something, making the purchase fast and efficiently appeals to me. Almost everyone I know, utilizes mobile shopping and enjoys the convenience of being able to do so.
When I was growing up QVC was huge but I was never that into it. I may have tuned it just to see what all of the fuss was about but don't think I ever purchased anything.
I've read some Dotdash publications as well as some of Meredith's. I used to be a big reader of magazines but with everything being mobile, I don't have the need to purchase a physical magazine. Actually, can't remember the last time I read a paper magazine.
Currently, I don't have Tik Tok but I have been feeling like I need to join. I like to discover new brands and fashionable items. I hear that Tik Tok is a great way to do this - plus there is the entertainment value.
When it comes to news and important information, I still watch tv and I use the internet (sometimes social media - typically Twitter) but I only rely on specific sources and people. It is extremely important to me that I trust my sources.
Janae Henderson
One of the main trends in retail is the SOCIAL COMMERCE, already super popular in china. They hire influencers to test products in real time, in a live event and people can buy it in real time.
about the questions, here goes my answers:
The question is are consumers driving these changes or are the companies?
i think both. Consumers are constantly changing the way they wanna buy and companies need to adapt in a very fast way, always bring new methods that will make people feel they are living a new experience. So, i would say both.
Do you buy products or services on mobile. Which ones and why? Does instant purchasing appeal to you? Why or why not? How do you think others feel? Have you ever heard of QVC?
I don't usually buy via mobile (m-commerce), but i know it's easier and more practical once our mobile phone is 24h with us.
I have never heard of QVC, curious to know more about it!
thanks
Soraia G
The mention of print media dying out brings to my mind soggy wet news papers rotting on the driveways of people who have never read a newspaper in their life. According to a Pew Research Center survey 86% of U.S adults get their news from a smartphone, computer, or tablet "often" or "sometimes", of that 60% the total percentage answered "often". In addition, they found in the same study that 68% of U.S adults got their news from TV at least "sometimes" and 40% "often".
These numbers lead me to believe that print news is dying at a rapid pace and that leading companies will be killing their print media as well.
In 2020 Ikea announced it was getting rid of its catalog, bringing an end to its 70 year print run.An MSN article released in 2020 stated that "fewer people were reading the catalog and Ikea wants to focus on online sales instead". The article also found that Ikea has seen a significant shift in consumer behavior thanks to the digital boom, its online retail sales having grown 45% worldwide in 2019.
In addition to the decline in leadership, the end to print could also have been influenced by the rise in environmental movements in recent years. Ikea for example has recently increased its focus on sustainability and is working to become carbon positive by 2030. Additionally, in November of 2020 it start buying back and reselling customers used furniture to counter the mass consumption.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/12/more-than-eight-in-ten-americans-get-news-from-digital-devices/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/ikea-is-getting-rid-of-its-iconic-catalog-one-of-the-most-popular-books-in-the-world-ending-a-70-year-print-run/ar-BB1bI6wS
Sydney Parks
The question is are consumers driving these changes or are the companies?
I believe both. Consumers' preferences are not static and will always change, and companies will have to adapt to that. During the pandemic, live-event selling became popular because social media is the only platform where they could sell live. So, because of this companies would have to adapt to the new trend. Aside from this, companies are also the ones the disrupt consumers' preferences because of innovations. Facebook, and Instagram now have "Facebook shopping" and "Instagram Shopping" for small businesses to sell their products on social media. This became popular during the pandemic too.
Do you buy products or services on mobile. Which ones and why? Does instant purchasing appeal to you? Why or why not? How do you think others feel? Have you ever heard of QVC?
I don't really buy products instantly, because I first think if the products I want to buy are up to quality, by reading customer reviews. In line with this, I buy most of stuff on Amazon only, because they offer cheap, and quality products.
Have you read any of Dotdash's online publications? How about any of Meredith's magazines? Will you read People online or off?
No.
Finally, do you go on Tik Tok for advice - job hunting or otherwise? If not, where do you go?
Nope. I will definitely not look for job hunting advice on Tiktok, because I look for credibility when it comes to job hunting advice. I ask advice to people who have achieve what I want to achieve. Tiktok is not a credible source, as it is a public social media platform.
The rise of social media has changed the way generations have access to information. For the younger generation, social media is the new mode for companies to reach target consumers. Because of this, I believe that is is the customers who are driving these changes while companies are trying to keep up. I have found myself purchasing products online. In doing so, I think what has appealed to me the most has been targeted ads. Usually I will spot promotions and be drawn to them, eventually make a purchasing. Or other times, I would look at a product and decide not to purchase at that moment, but the repeated exposure of that item would convince me to purchase it in due time. With instant purchasing, it is very appealing to me. So much that had to start disciplining myself to stopping purchasing products that I did not need.
I personally am not active on TikTok; however, I do like hearing from people on TikTok about how they became successful and what strategies the used. That being said, I feel as though social media has opened tremendous opportunities for creatives—especially freelancers. Social media is now space where such individuals as well as small business owners to gain brand awareness/recognition. This exposure can even be unexpected. For example, during the pandemic I got very into photography. What started out as me taking pictures of myself and my friends and posting it (or my friends sharing the photos I took) turned into companies reaching out to me to work with them and I have continued to do so up to today.
For job hunting, however, I would rather use the social media platform LinkedIn. This is because I can reach out to employees within the companies I am interested in as well as apply for jobs all on one platform. Due to the fact that I am introverted and still struggle to approach professionals, LinkedIn is useful to me because I can connect with employees who work in HR prior to applying for jobs so I can stand apart from other applicants during the interviewing process.
I think some people add things to their cart and give themselves some time to contemplate the potential purchase. Some people might use the cart as a list to include things they are not currently buying but might want to buy later. In this case, they are waiting for the right time to buy it, whether it’s during the sales season or saving for a future need.
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