Shopping in Facebook
I don't have my own online store in Facebook (not yet!) but I'm always amazed on how my Facebook friends manage to open their virtual stores and get customers. Although, I don't have an idea how much they really earn and their expenses. So far, I haven't seen a store closing down because of bankruptcy (or they are too embarrass to announce it). I just have this idea that it can be a profitable business for any online freelancer.
Online Shopping using Social Media
After several years, Multiply had become a full-time online selling site and so I willingly just gave up my account along with Friendster since I had few friends and few nice pictures on which I managed to download and store somewhere. Also, I'm already a Facebook member with hundreds of virtual friends. I was also an avid player of Facebook games like Mafia Wars, Pet Society, Farmville, etc. so I am to busy to keep accounts from other social networking sites.
Anyway, as part of my procrastination back then, I again found Facebook friends who are selling items I like at a price I assume is cheap. I added more of them so I can view their albums and, then, I bought online. Yes, finally, I dared to buy to a person I hardly know. So what changed me?
Positive Feedback and Customer Satisfaction
One thing I did not see from Multiply which is common in Facebook is a client's comment about the seller's attitude, professionalism and products. Before I made my first buy in an FB store, I checked feedback of its clients. I even checked if they are real FB users just to make sure I wouldn't be scammed. I shared my thoughts with a good friend and she was even the one who made the first purchase. Thus, validating the store is real and trustworthy. So, I bought my little girl's first dresses in this FB store and I made two or three more transactions with them. Later on, I tried shopping on other Facebook online stores and I never had a bad experience from any of them.
Online GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct)
In short, online ethics. Although I do not have bad experience from my sellers, I can view how they communicate with competitors, other sellers and their good and bad customers. Sadly, some of them will exhibit lack of good breeding when they have to post their bad experiences and ill thoughts about their enemies. In fact, I deleted two online stores in my Facebook account because I got tired of their posts personally attacking other people who have not done good business with them.
Maybe, if you have a competitor trying to steal your customers, then post a status for your customers as a warning. As I had read in one post, the seller's loyal customers were even the one who told her that a competitor was trying to sell them the same products at lower prices. Like I said, you have loyal customers and you can keep them by showing a good fight and not stooping down on that level. Also, who will want to deal with that kind of attitude?
Another thing I do not appreciate is stores tagging me to every picture of their products. Kudos to Facebook for making it easier to remove a tag and asking for my permission first if the photo can be posted on my wall. If only these sellers know that I set my tagged photos to be viewed by only me, they will not waste time tagging my name on them. I also deleted two FB stores for this reason since I got tired of removing the tags.
The Future
In less than two years, I see how Facebook evolves. At first, these online stores in Facebook are people with faces and real names. Afterwards, they adopt store names. Now, Facebook is equipped to allow users create their own pages and groups, collaborate with Twitter and other social networking sites. As a result, the sellers are utilizing them very well to reach more customers not only locally but worldwide.
As long as Facebook is changing, online stores is also going to change for the better.
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