Social Commerce is Switching it Up This Season

As we start 2023, we are beginning to plan which shopping trends will dominate the next 12 months. And, there’s one that really stands out: the meteoric rise of social commerce.

Over 48% of US internet users aged 18-34 have already made a purchase via a social media app. 27% say they would make future purchases through social media. So, if you want to grow your sales in 2023, social commerce is proving to be a must have platform!

What is Social Commerce?

For those not in the know, social commerce is the process of selling products directly through social media. Think TikTok and Instagram shop. From advertisement to purchase, all stages of the customer buying journey are completed on the social app, removing the need for an ecommerce website.

This has opened the door for many smaller independent brands to sell their products to the millions of social media users currently viewing content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Pinterest. Through the use of each platform’s specific algorithm, your products can be shown to any niche buying group looking to make a quick, easy purchase. In many cases, this leads to products becoming overnight sensations with very little output from the brands. Take for example skincare sensation Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concetre – after being a French skincare staple since the 1950s, it’s since been adopted by Gen Z buyers as the newest viral sensation. So much that Embryolisse sells 1 unit every 23 seconds all thanks to their new social commerce customer base.

But be warned, before you jump into the social commerce world, there are a couple of things you might want to think through first. And number one on the list is packaging!

Branding Boxes

One of the main ways brands make a splash in the social commerce market is to release exclusive products or gift sets that encourages customers to buy through a particular channel. But in order to do this, you’ll need new cardboard packaging.

When selling with social commerce it’s important to maintain brand recognition throughout your customers purchase journey. Not only will this encourage them to become a repeat customer through brand recall but also because they are purchasing through a third-party site rather than your own website, limiting the number of customer touch points with your brand compared with traditional shopping formats.

To combat this and still take advantage of the platforms online customer base you need to add in extra brand touch points, and one sure fire way to do this is through using bespoke branded delivery packaging.

Here at Greyhound Box, coming up with unique ways to brand up our sustainable sourced cardboard boxes is a special talent of ours. From a simple yet sophisticated black branded logo on a brown box to your brands full life story blocked on the inner lid, keeping up your brand’s appearance strong throughout all of your packaging is as easy as getting in touch.

Going Green

On top of adding extra touch points, bespoke packaging can also ensure that your deliveries match your sustainable ethos and give your customers an easier unboxing experience.

Creating a nicer and more eco-conscious unboxing experience should be on everybody’s to do list this year, especially as customer trends are shifting towards a more sustainable approach. It is estimated that the average EU citizen generates 177.2 kg of packaging waste every year, so it’s time to help your customers reduce that figure.

Bespoke packaging is specially designed to hug your products without the need for extra fillers such as bubble wrap or other plastics. No need for plastic means less waste in your warehouse and your customers bins. Meaning once that box is opened the star of the show is your products, not the miles of bubble wrap surrounding it, which will inevitably end up in the bin anyway.

Going Viral

When moving towards social commerce, you will also need to plan for the potential of going viral. Yes, we know this might seem like a long shot and only something that happens to Molly Mae type influencers, but social commerce’s ability to get your products in front of the right groups of buyers has left many businesses unable to fulfil orders and miss out on valuable sales. After all, if you’re product is going to get it’s 15 minutes of viral fame you don’t want to max out on capacity at the 5-minute mark.

Bespoke packaging can be a game changer in these situations as less excess material means less time needed for your team to pack each item and therefore more orders you’re able to get out to your customers. Giving you the extra capacity needed to deal with an influx in orders.

Stock Management

Unfortunately, though, sales are hard to predict, especially when you are selling across multiple platforms. Sometimes no matter how much you reduce your waste and increase your efficiency, social commerce can take you by surprise. Here at Greyhound Box we offer to store your boxes in our Leeds based warehouse and can immediately increase supply when needed.  Meaning you can be an overnight sensation without the out-of-stock fallout.

To see how we can help you ride the social commerce trend in 2023, get in touch!