Cashing in on 'social shopping'
Gary Arlen
What could be more normal than mall-crawling or high street hopping with a bunch of friends? Beyond the camaraderie, there is someone else to explore the racks and to advise whether a style or colour looks just right.
Now move that shopping expedition online, into the milieu of e-commerce and social networks, such as MySpace and FaceBook. The result is the nascent 'social shopping' experience. From Procter & Gamble and Wal-Mart to start-ups like ThisNext.com, StyleHive.com and Wists.com, merchandising is moving towards shared online shopping.
The marketing...