Santa’s come and gone. You’ve unwrapped your presents and you non-vegetarian types have gone into your seven-day turkey leftovers coma. Even with all the shopping you did before Christmas, you may just find yourself giving in to the temptation of a Boxing Week sale. And you’ll not only indulge in your shopping habit, you’ll tell your friends and family about it on social media. In doing so, you’re providing data that’s changing how we buy and impacting how retailers sell.

Credit: mycommercecorner.com

On that note, for this post-Christmas edition of the digital literacy series, here’s a glimpse at some of the ways social media is changing holiday shopping:

For retailers, check-ins translate to cha-ching!

This post from Forbes looks at 4 Lessons From Social Media Chatter About Holiday Shopping, including how Facebook likes and Foursquare check-ins are helping retailers target customers. The post also examines how retailers can use social media chatter to predict when shoppers are most likely to make purchases. For example, it’s well-known that Black Friday kicks off the holiday shopping season, but social media data takes things further by actually narrowing down exact time frames for when stores are busiest that day. This type of data can help retailers prepare for future sales and promotions. Also of note: an exploration of the emerging link between social media chatter and stock prices.

The grocery list goes mobile

For many, the holiday season involves cooking elaborate meals for large families and baking endless batches of Christmas cookies for office cookie exchanges. Modern day grocery stores are making sure you don’t miss anything on your list by offering shopping apps. This post explores how grocers are using apps and social media to give their customers an enriched shopping experience. Check out Safeway’s Chef Assistant app for delicious recipes and cooking tips.

Social media sleuthing makes gift giving easy

Here’s yet another way the information you share online can impact holiday buying: data from a ConsumerSearch.com survey shows that people mine their loved ones’ social media profiles for gift ideas.

Sixty-two percent of survey respondents said they look to social media, including user reviews and online wish lists, and content on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter for gift giving inspiration.

Watch this video from The Globe and Mail for more on how to use social media to find the perfect gift.

Happy shopping and all the best in 2013!

About Kelly Ferrier

Kelly Ferrier is Editor/Community Manager at communicatto. Her love of the written word has taken her into a number of industries. This diverse writing background means there's no subject she can't turn into a compelling story. From blog posts and social media community management, to magazine articles and annual reports, Kelly writes copy that captures reader attention and holds it until the final word. When she’s away from her computer, you can find her embarking on mountain adventures, cooking weird and wonderful vegetarian meals or practicing hot yoga.

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