Online marketplace eBay is to launch a pop-up shop offering a social media shopping experience, it has been announced today.
Opening in London‘s Covent Garden from Friday November 30th 2012 to November 2nd, eBay Social Shopping aims to “harness the influencing power of social media”, according to the e-tailer, bringing together customers‘ product recommendations shared with friends and family via social networks with its own search data displayed digitally in store.
Carrie Bienkowski, Head of Buyer Experience, commented: “By pairing views of social communities with eBay‘s own vast selection of top Christmas gifts and mobile expertise we hope to give shoppers lots of inspiration and put a little bit of fun into Christmas shopping.”
Research commissioned by eBay has revealed that 47 per cent of UK consumers seeks friends‘ advice prior to purchase, often turning to the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to do so while 23 per cent plan to shop for presents this year via smartphones and tablets.
Providing tablets for browsing for those without a smartphone, the store will also showcase ‘third wave‘ technologies such as augmented reality and 3D technologies to emphasise the fast-evolving nature of the industry.
Last year, the e-tailer opened its first ever Christmas pop-up on London‘s Dean Street in time for ‘Super Sunday, while this year, the temporary store has been strategically opened to correlate with what eBay predicts will be its busiest online shopping day in the UK, Sunday December 2nd, with six million consumers expected to log onto the site on the day.
Bienkowski explained that the growing importance of m-commerce and its affect on the retail sector is undeniable.
She said: “Mobile technology is a catalyst for retail growth and is changing the way we shop.
“Consumers now carry a global showroom in their pocket and are increasingly as inclined to seek recommendations online and shop mobile as visit the high street.
“At eBay we expect 2012 to be our most successful mobile Christmas ever with around 30 per cent of the most popular Christmas products being brought through a smartphone.”
