Sephora is betting that social commerce will catch on in the US
Last June, Sephora took a big step on Instagram. Shortly after the photo-sharing app enabled companies to set up digital storefronts on its platform, Sephora debuted its Instagram shop. Its 20 million followers on the network could now find and buy its beauty products directly through the app, without having to switch over to the retailer’s site.
What it has learned in almost a year since speaks to both the challenges and potential for social commerce in the US. “Every indication is that it’s going to be big,” said Carolyn Bojanowski, Sephora’s general manager of e-commerce. “[There’s] got to be a mindset shift, though, and that’s where we are right now.”
In theory, social commerce—where social media and e-commerce are fused in seamless interaction—could unlock a trove of sales for retailers. And it has in some places, notably China, where the social-commerce market is well-established and forecast to exceed $300 billion in annual sales soon.
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