Security, privacy and legitimacy concerns limit social commerce

An overview of whether American adults have directly purchased a product through social media and their key concerns surrounding the practice.

Less than 20% of Americans said they'd purchased something on a social media site, largely due to concerns over security, privacy and legitimacy. According to the latest research from SUMO Heavy Industries, only 17.8% said they have had a shopping experience that started directly on social media and ended with a purchase. This includes features like Instagram's product tags which redirect the user to the brand's website when clicked.

Amongst all respondents, concerns over security and privacy were particularly prominent at 71.1% and 65.0% of respondents respectively. This significance is likely due to consumers being unsure if they're...

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