Etail giant eBay has set up a social-media driven pop-up shop in Covent Garden, London, in he hope of maximising sales opportunities over what is expected to be its busiest online shopping weekend.
The shop is due to open on Friday November 30 and will operate until Sunday December 2. EBay is counting on the Sunday to be its busiest online shopping day of the year and has forecast that some 30 per cent of its top selling Christmas products will be purchased via smartphones.
Social media networks will be displayed in-store on screens, providing a real-time feed of what products people are recommending from eBay via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, giving shoppers ideas of what to buy for Christmas
EBay’s own research shows 47% of Brits ask friends for advice and ideas when making shopping decisions, often via social media channels. Almost a quarter of people are also planning on shopping via smartphones and tablets this Christmas, a sign of the growing relationship between social media and mobile shopping. The company has also found that augmented reality and 3D technologies could provide a £2.4bn boost to the retail industry by 2014.
Consumers will be encouraged to download eBay apps to browse and shop products in-store, use QR codes and 3D technologies that bring and gadgets to come to life on mobile devices.
EBay head of buyer experience Carrie Bienkowski said: “Mobile technology is a catalyst for retail growth and is changing the way we shop. Consumers now carry a global showroom in their pocket and are increasingly as inclined to seek recommendations online and shop mobile as visit the high street.”
EBay research shows .
