Inside Facebook

Retailers that are launching or beefing up their Facebook pages may not be able to easily track a monetary return on the time and energy spent on the pages, but many are starting to see benefits. Engaging in customers and building large fan followings is giving retailers like Kohl’s valuable insight into what their customers want, so sellers are better able to tailor their sites and specials to meet buyers’ needs.

A recent poll buy Shop.org revealed that as the holiday shopping season  get in full swing, almost half of all online retailers will begin to ramp up their presence on social sites, including Facebook. The more successful retailers wil be able to utilize Facebook to converse with consumers, mainly those who frequent their sites and stores, to create a better shopping experience.

While several applications, like the recent offering from Payvment, are allowing retailers to set up actual storefronts inside Facebook to translate fans into actual dollars, the real value comes from the free information Facebook offers, according to the report. Companies have traditionally paid a great deal to have outside companies conduct surveys to pinpoint trends in their respective industries — with Facebook, those companies can simply ask their customers themselves. The information gathered on Facebook can be used to implement sweeping changes across the brand or specialized offers to targeted demographics.

According to a report in the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, retailer Kohl’s has been using its rather popular Facebook page to listen to improve its site and service for customers. The company is even planning to alter the look of its Facebook page to match a holiday ad campaign. The company’s willingness to embrace both praise and criticism on its page has proven beneficial, with Kohl’s using the information to give consumers more of what they want, and giving the brand the ability to directly address any complaints.