Retailers are cashing in on the social media trend ‘selfies‘. Named the word of the year by Oxford dictionary last year, selfies have taken the world by storm. Hundreds of companies are now releasing products and gadgets in a bid to gain a share of the selfie market.
One of the products which has gained significant popularity is the ‘selfie stick‘; the selfie stick allows people to take photos from further away than the arm allows, and also incorporates the function of a timer.
On Amazon, a search of ‘selfie sticks‘ gives you 867 results, some of the most popular brands selling the products are UFCIT, ecomade, Gopromate and Pinpo. Director of Sales for Promaster, Rich Bright, said his monopod company branded its device as a “selfie stick” earlier this year, according to BuzzFeed. He said the company can‘t keep up with the demand and has had to make an emergency order for more selfie sticks.
Plymouth based Selfie Pods (who sell selfie sticks) launched their product after the two founders had gone to the Philippines and realised its potential. “Everyone had a monopod out there and people were taking selfies everywhere,” says Harvey. “The craze was huge across Asia but hadn‘t come to the UK yet. The pair knew that it was going to prosper due to the fact that they received three orders on the day they launched their e-commerce website. The pair have said that the company is waiting to receive a further 5,000 units to meet demand and social media has been a huge sales driver for them.
Selfie sticks are not just being used for Extreme Sports but also are useful for jetsetters and now, anyone and everyone. Brands have even jumped on the bandwagon by launching giveaways and competitions which require the best selfies. It seems this viral trend might just be the money maker for retailers today as the phenomenon continues to grow.
