Social Consumers

     Are you one of those people that research the product you want for weeks or do you buy spontaneously? I am guilty of both, but when I am dealing with a large purchase I definitely take weeks to make my decision. I would consider myself a social consumer, which according to Wikipedia is "a consumer that participates in social commerce, social shopping, and consults with social media and social networks when making purchasing decisions. I am one to ask for opinions on particular products. The last large purchase I made was a tablet for school so I turned to Facebook to ask people the pros/cons they found with iPads and Samsung Galaxy Notes. I read the online reviews from every website I could find so when I was ready to make my purchase I already knew exactly what I wanted and only spent about five minutes total in the store.

(Image from Pinterest)

   

      I would blame my social consuming on my smartphone. It is so easy to access your social media accounts to ask for opinions or suggestions and you can look up online reviews for anything. I find myself, especially when traveling, reading a ton of online reviews. I always read about hotels I may stay in, restaurants I may eat at, and activities we may do while there. I don't know about anyone else, but being able to do this really has spoiled me. There are also times I find myself reading online reviews for entertainment. My favorite reviews to read are the Sugar-free Haribo Gummy Bears on amazon. Trust me, they will make you laugh out loud. My husband and I also have fun going to random towns and eating somewhere based on the reviews. We have gone to some awesome places we normally wouldn't have gone to because of this.

Image from Google

When I consult social media to ask about a product it is usually a large purchase.  I asked about cell phones the last time I was due an upgrade and I asked about my tablet. I chose the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 because it had the best reviews for students and I do not regret it! Since the majority of the people on my facebook page are people I know and trust I tend to ask about products on there. I have several friends that also consult Facebook friends when making purchases. I try to give my opinions when it is something I am comfortable with. If not, I keep an eye on the post if it is something I am interested in. I think everyone should be social consumers. I feel it is a new way of shopping and finding out information some places would try to hide. I like that the people are everyday people sharing their experience.