2012 Proceedings of the Conference on Information Systems Applied Research ISSN: 2167-1508 New Orleans Louisiana, USA v5 n2235 ______

Adding Social Features to E-commerce

Zhao Huang [email protected]

Seo Yeon Yoon [email protected]

Morad Benyoucef [email protected]

Telfer School of Management University of Ottawa Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada

Abstract

With the introduction of , e-commerce is being transformed from product-centered to a customer-centered social environment. Such changes strengthen customer relationships, increase traffic to e-commerce websites, generate new business opportunities, and support product and brand development. Although a variety of social media tools have been used on current e-commerce platforms, the social features of those tools are not well understood. Without a clear understanding of their social features, social media tools may not achieve their expected design goals. To this end, this study examines a selection of e-commerce websites, identifying existing social media tools, then grouping them into five social feature categories, namely social connection, social communities, social media marketing, social shopping and social application. To leverage these social features, some implementation issues are discussed. This contributes to understanding social design features, and supports designers in developing more social, collaborative and interactive e-commerce systems.

Keywords: social media, web 2.0, e-commerce, social commerce

1. INTRODUCTION better engage customer participation and support business development. More specifically, With the extensive use of web technologies, today, it is no longer enough for customers to thousands of e-commerce websites become shop online in the traditional way. Indeed, they accessible via wired and wireless Internet, expect a more social, interactive, and providing a wide range of business services. collaborative online experience, where collective Such a fast growth rises from the way that e- intelligence can be aggregated and used to commerce has dramatically changed the support problem solving and decision making traditional business environment to improve (Dennison et al. 2009). Business organizations user access and business service delivery. on the other hand are looking for new ways to However, with the increasing demands for strengthen business relationships, identify new services and applications from both customers business opportunities and support product and and business organizations, e-commerce is brand development (Breslauer et al. 2009). facing new challenges. One of them is how to ______©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 1 www.aitp-edsig.org 2012 Proceedings of the Conference on Information Systems Applied Research ISSN: 2167-1508 New Orleans Louisiana, USA v5 n2235 ______

Social media applications seem to naturally 2. RELATED WORK support the e-commerce evolution. For instance, wikis enable multiple users to work Social commerce is a recent phenomenon collaboratively, encouraging them to generate (Stephen & Toubia 2009), covering a wide range content and share it with online networked of disciplines, such as computer science, people (Murugesan 2007). Forums allow users to sociology and economy (Lee et al. 2008). As create topics or hold conversations in the form such, there is no universally accepted definition. of posted messages, presenting perceptions, It can be simply defined as an the integration of exchanging ideas and expressing satisfactions social media with e-commerce (Jascanu et al. (Serrano & Torres 2010). More significantly, 2007). However, many studies define it social media applications benefit businesses in differently, focusing on various perspectives. For product development, market trend prediction example, Constantinides and Fountain (2008) and sales increases (Constantinides et al. 2008). addressed the economic viewpoint, describing For instance, Threadless.com leverages a peer social commerce as a new application in online community to motivate users to submit ideas for marketplaces, where business organizations T-shirt design, and the best designs are selected leverage social media or web 2.0 as a direct as a part of products. tracks a user’s marketing tool to support customers’ decision preferences and online behavior to suggest making processes and buying behavior. Other products to other users. Moreover, iTunes social commerce definitions are presented in utilizes forums and discussion boards to Table 1 (see appendix). Despite these diverse understand customers’ interests and recommend definitions, it can be argued that the relevant products to them. In this aspect, fundamental idea behind social commerce is to utilizing social media tools in e-commerce apply social media to e-commerce systems appears to be a new trend commonly referred to (Dennison et al. 2009). as social commerce (Serrano & Torres 2010). However, although a variety of social media Social commerce is increasingly drawing the tools have been implemented on e-commerce attention of academia. A number of studies have websites, challenges for social commerce design been carried out to explore the impact of using still exists. In particular, it is not enough to social media tools on business applications and simply clone social media tools from one e- strategies. For instance, Serrano and Torres commerce website to another. There is a need (2010) investigated social media applications in to understand social features behind social ERP products and the results show that utilizing media tools. Social features refer to the social media tools significantly improves social characteristics of social media applications in e- and collaborative capabilities in business commerce. This study aims to examine a sample processes. Constantinides and Fountain (2008) of current e-commerce websites, identifying explored the effects of social media on existing social media tools. Based on the key marketing. The study addressed the importance features of the identified social media tools, we of using social media as a direct marketing tool group them into categories. This can improve in a company’s commercial strategy. the understanding of social commerce, and Furthermore, social media increases user power, guide designers in adding appropriate social extending the experience and knowledge of media tools to e-commerce systems. customers as participants in the business and social process, and transforming a market for This paper is structured as follows: Section 2 products and services into a social and user- introduces the concept of social commerce. centred environment (Wigand et al. 2008). Subsequently, the research method is detailed in Section 3. Section 4 presents the findings, Many studies have demonstrated the significant identifying a number of social media tools. impact of social media on consumer interaction Based on the key features of these tools, a set and decision making. Grange and Benbasat of social features are proposed in Section 5. (2010) examined the effects of social media Implementation issues are discussed in Section design in websites on customer 6. Finally, a brief conclusion is provided and purchase behaviours. The study found a set of future studies are suggested in Sections 7 and 8 social design features that significantly influence respectively. customers’ interaction, including a list of favourite products, a list of online shopping friends, product reviews and customers’ profile. In addition, a study by Kim and Srivastava ______©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 2 www.aitp-edsig.org 2012 Proceedings of the Conference on Information Systems Applied Research ISSN: 2167-1508 New Orleans Louisiana, USA v5 n2235 ______

(2007) investigated the impact of social features assigned five reviewers to evaluate the selected on customer purchase decision making in e- twenty e-commerce websites one by one. These commerce. The results show that sharing reviewers were information systems researchers customer experiences through providing and computer science graduate students at the feedback, rating reviews and chatting among University of Ottawa. They all had good members are important social design features to knowledge of social media applications and long help customers make better decisions. This is term experiences using e-commerce websites. also supported by De Bruyn and Lilien (2008), The evaluation was split up into small sessions, who conducted a study to explore customer each focusing on a particular part of the target influence, focusing on the decision making e-commerce websites. Two types of evaluation process in e-marketplaces. The findings show techniques were implemented: free review and that the different stages of customer decision task-based interaction. Free review allows the making, including need recognition, product reviewers to freely look at the target websites so evaluation and final purchase are largely that a general perception and initial interaction supported by social networking power. are developed. Task-based interaction requires the reviewers to complete a set of simple Since the benefits of using social media in e- practical tasks, such as information search and commerce became known, the industry sector, product identification. All reviewers followed the led by major vendor, has tried to same evaluation procedure. First, they were capture such benefits and rapidly developed given a brief introduction to understand the their own social commerce products. Table 2 purposes of the evaluation, and then required to shows some social commerce products from a conduct a free review and task-based wide range of vendors (see Table 2 in appendix). evaluation. During the evaluation process, the reviewers carefully recorded all relevant social 3. METHODOLOGY media tools that have been found in the target e-commerce websites. This study aims to examine a sample of current e-commerce websites in order to draw 4. FINDINGS conclusions on social features for e-commerce design. Specifically, we attempt to assess Table 3 lists a number of social media tools as existing e-commerce websites from a user they apply or not to the twenty target e- perspective, identifying the social media tools commerce websites (see appendix). Overall, a that are implemented on these websites. Based wide range of social media tools have been on their key features, the identified social media identified by the focus group. Among them, the tools are grouped into categories. To that effect, most common include reviews and ratings, like twenty e-commerce websites have been and share buttons, feedback mechanisms, selected, covering a variety of business models, referrals and recommendations, social from the 2012 list of top retail websites compiled community support, social storefront and wish by the Internet Retailer lists. However, because of the different social (http://www.internetretailer.com/top500/list/). commerce requirements, some social media All the selected e-commerce websites have, at tools have only been implemented on specific e- some point, attempted to integrate social commerce websites. For example, in order to commerce concepts into their offerings. foster more customer purchases, Buy.com and Shopwithyourfriend.com allow a group of people We opted for a focus group evaluation since it is who have similar shopping interests to purchase a rapid, simple, and effective way of inspecting products together, offering competitive prices. website design issues (Parent et al. 2000). A Furthermore, to encourage customer generated focus group evaluation generally involves a content and utilize customers’ collective small group of users to provide feedback about a intelligence to solve problems and make website. Ideally, six to twelve participants can decisions, Apple and eBag.com provide gain deeper insight into user perception of a customers with forums and discussion platforms certain service or product (Massey 2011). Other respectively, motivating customers socially to advantages of this methodology are reflected by communicate with and help each other. In order its flexibility and efficiency (Wood et al. 2003). to expand social influence, Avon.com and For example, it can be implemented within the NorthFace.com allow customers to create online or offline environment, and combined with product videos and publish them on YouTube, other evaluation approaches. Therefore, we which not only attracts more people’s attention, ______©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 3 www.aitp-edsig.org 2012 Proceedings of the Conference on Information Systems Applied Research ISSN: 2167-1508 New Orleans Louisiana, USA v5 n2235 ______but also constitutes social advertisement (i.e., Social connection word of mouth). Additionally, with the purpose of having fun while shopping, Borders.com Social connection is about building a link builds connections through notifications, inviting between e-commerce and social networking customers to participate in social events sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace, regularly. For keeping customers informed about providing customers with opportunities to the brand and tracking customers’ fashion communicate with a peer community in order to trends, blogs are particularly used by eBag.com, have richer social and interactive experiences. NorthFace.com, Levi’s.com and CSN store.com. Such experiences foster customer power rather Moreover, Bestbuy.com and BlueNile.com than having marketers in control (Murugesan provide applications, offering 2007). This allows e-commerce to move into handy and flexible means to engage customers social and customer-centered marketplaces in business services. (Wigand et al. 2008), where customers can interact with more people and utilize their Based on the results, it seems that all the target knowledge and experiences to achieve their e-commerce websites are leveraging a range of desirable service outcomes. To build social social media tools. However, we notice that connection, the “Share” button is one approach different social media tools are being used for that enables users to post a link to their social different social interaction purposes. This media pages, allowing their friends to follow the indicates that in order to achieve the expected link to review their content. Displaying a “Like” social design goals, it is important to understand button on product pages is another way to the social features behind the different social establish social connection. When a user clicks media tools, so that the most appropriate tools on the “Like” button, the number of users who can be properly developed and used for “Like” a site or a product rises and a link to the supporting social commerce. site appears on the user’s activity wall. As the user’s friends follow the link to visit the site, the 5. SOCIAL FEATURES “Like” button shows which of the friends also clicked on the “Like” button, showing their Evidence from relevant studies indicates that a shopping interests in their profiles. Moreover, key feature of social media applications in e- offering customer reviews and feedbacks builds business is to build a new communication a “” between e-commerce and social channel, where customers not only have the networks, motivating customer generated bidirectional interaction with business, but also content and involving real time participation, closely connect with other customers to share which empowers customer control and reduces the shopping experiences. In addition, the distance between companies and customers customers’ participation forms a networked (Costa & Tavares 2011). In particular, rating community, within which customers can customer reviews enables customers to further collaborate and use their edit social content, which increases social to support problem solving and decision making. engagement. For example, ebags.com not only Significantly, such network power generates allows customers to comment on their products, social influence, which is beneficial for increasing but also invites them to judge the level of the sales and promoting brand loyalty. Furthermore, comments’ usefulness, using a visual five star social media applications on e-commerce rating system. websites require a certain degree of flexibility. Social media tools can be flexibly used on Social communities various platforms, such as desktop websites and mobile phone apps, or a range of applications, Social communities refer to an aggregation of such as Twitter and Facebook, providing customer groups and constitute the network customers with more opportunities to interact power that produces social effects. It involves with business services. In view of that, we took customers with common interests to work the key features of the social media tools together and utilizes their collective intelligence identified by the focus group and organized to support problem solving and purchase them into five social feature categories (Appelo decision making. A number of social media tools 2010): (1) social connection, (2) social have been applied for building social communities, (3) social media marketing, (4) communities within e-commerce. For example, social shopping, and (5) social applications (see Apple builds product-oriented communities via Table 4 in appendix). their discussion platforms, where customers can ______©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 4 www.aitp-edsig.org 2012 Proceedings of the Conference on Information Systems Applied Research ISSN: 2167-1508 New Orleans Louisiana, USA v5 n2235 ______discuss products, exchange ideas, provide networks. For instance, Best Buy developed a feedback and solve usage problems. Similarly, Facebook storefront, where customers can Bestbuy.com encourages customers to join an receive the latest promotional information, innovative peer community to post discussion search for products, and review and comment topics, and share technology tips and tricks on products. through blog and forum applications. In addition, expert communities are developed within e- Social shopping commerce, providing customers with real time and authoritative support, which timely assists Social shopping involves customer interaction customers to overcome the uncertainty of with others through online social networks in the shopping activities. For instance, Buy.com process of shopping for products (Grange & makes an expert community available Benbasat 2010). It enables businesses to throughout the site, offering special knowledge maximize the effectiveness of their marketing and advice whenever customers need it. campaigns and provides customers with rich Likewise, Lands’ End.com develops its specialist hedonic online shopping experiences community that can be reached through online (Constantinides et al. 2008). Various approaches instant messages, audio call and video chatting for social shopping have been implemented in e- to better answer customer questions when they commerce. For example, e-commerce websites shop online. such as Gap.com, Stila.com and Eddie Bauer.com bring like-minded people together, Social media marketing utilizing the wisdom of crowds to discuss and purchase products. In addition, these e- Social media marketing is another social feature, commerce sites allow customers to create which attempts to achieve branding and shopping lists (or wish lists) and share them marketing communication goals through the with friends, entailing more social shopping. participation in various social media networks Furthermore, product recommendation systems (Rognerud 2008). This form of marketing is are another approach used for social shopping, driven by user generated content and social which utilizes collective intelligence to provide influence, which may produce significant helpful advice to customers. For example, when commercial output, such as enhancing website customers purchase specific products, traffic, increasing sales and promoting customer BlueNile.com presents other relevant products engagement. Social advertisement is a typical that are likely to interest customers, hence application, which harnesses user created encouraging additional purchase. Amazon also advertisement to attract attention within social recommends products to customers based on media networks. When such social their past behaviour and the past behaviour of advertisements have been endorsed by peers, similar customers. Moreover, some e-commerce they can be perceived as more credible and be websites enable customers to buy together, more effectively disseminated throughout social benefiting from lower prices. An example from networks (Constantinides et al. 2008). For the target e-commerce websites is Shop with example, ebags.com offers product Your Friends.com, which enables customers to advertisement videos and such videos can be invite friends from social networks like Facebook commented on and shared throughout the and Twitter to participate in synchronous , which increases the look-to- shopping at wholesale prices. Within social buy conversion rate (Najjar 2011) and spreads shopping, consumers can receive real-time brand awareness. Similarly, Avon.com not only advice from friends or inspire others by provides professional videos from fashion providing suggestions to buy, which facilitates experts, but also encourages customers to the online buying process. Buy.com provides the create featured product videos and post them on ShopTogether tools that allow customers to ask YouTube. Moreover, providing social events is questions, share products and have fun while another popular application to extend social shopping with their friends, inviting friends to commerce. One example is the online bookstore join a conversation around a purchase through Borders.com which organizes a number of email, instant messages, or Facebook. In regular online and offline events to attract addition, to increase customer engagement, customers’ attention. Additionally, some e- some e-commerce websites let customers commerce companies offer a social storefront customize products and share them with a peer enabling customers to interact with social media community. M&M’s for instance motivates marketing and follow a brand on social customers to design their own personalized ______©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 5 www.aitp-edsig.org 2012 Proceedings of the Conference on Information Systems Applied Research ISSN: 2167-1508 New Orleans Louisiana, USA v5 n2235 ______candy and snacks by choosing favourite colours, First, companies should implement social inserting images and writing messages. These features creatively, based on what works and customized products can be shared within the what fits in their business strategies, particularly M&M community, allowing other customers to with regards to customer generated content. review, comment, and even buy them. Business organizations are striving to understand their customers. Social features Social applications provide them with the potential to not only communicate with customers through traditional Social applications are mainly about mobile means such as broadcast ads, but allow commerce, Facebook commerce and other customers to participate in marketing activities relevant applications that provide customers such as product design and service feedback. with opportunities to interact with business With this opportunity, companies could utilize services. Mobile commerce moves online social media tools to learn more about shopping from websites to mobile devices, customers by encouraging them to share where customers make purchases through their personal interests, and to provide their mobile phones. The popularity of mobile preferences and needs. It results in companies commerce can be explained by its mobility and obtaining precious insight into customers’ broad reach. For example, Amazon mobile perception, performance and reaction to commerce enables customers to purchase products. Moreover, in order to increase products away from computers, and customers business profit and optimize store management, can be reached at any time via their handsets. social features can be employed to assist in As such, a number of mobile commerce direct sales. Companies can use blogs or their applications have been developed, such as social storefront to deliver messages to a mobile financial applications, mobile advertising, targeted group of users in real time to advertise mobile inventory management, locating and “flash sales”, and manage its inventory turnover. shopping for products, proactive service Likewise, to meet product cost effectiveness management and mobile auctions (Ngai & requirements and customer participation targets, Gunasekaran 2007). Facebook commerce refers companies could involve customers in the to business applications on the Facebook process of product development, leveraging their platform, taking advantage of the fact that collective intelligence to examine design ideas Facebook is a powerhouse for advertising, and eliminate poor products before injecting marketing and selling of products with 500 resources into their fabrication. Similarly, to million users using the service to communicate satisfy needs, company- and share information with their friends (Shih sponsored wikis can be implemented to create 2011). For example, Organic Bouquet.com uses documents relevant to products, such as its Facebook shop as a major advertising and Frequently Ask Question documents. The marketing channel, attracting potential customer documents can be started by a company, and attention. The North Face Facebook store allows edited by a wide range of customers. Moreover, customers to review product photos and find a to motivate social interaction, companies should specific store location. NikeID.com Facebook provide a sense of customer identification and storefront enables users to search for products awareness that can be recognized by their and select and move them into a shopping cart. peers. Such recognition can be perceived as social proof to motivate other customers’ 6. IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIAL FEATURES participation.

Now that various social media tools have been Second, building communities through customer identified and grouped into social feature conversation is another important target for categories, a key interest to business organizations that implement social features. An organizations is how to efficiently harness social effective community can be built by providing features and derive value from these different opportunities for customers to network among social media tools (Parise & Guinan 2008). themselves. Another way to build a networked Hence there is a need to address community is to group customers with common implementation considerations in order for interests. These communities are expected to business organizations to develop better social support collaboration and gather collective marketplaces. intelligence. Conversation plays a fundamental role in establishing a community, providing customers with collaborative interaction and ______©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 6 www.aitp-edsig.org 2012 Proceedings of the Conference on Information Systems Applied Research ISSN: 2167-1508 New Orleans Louisiana, USA v5 n2235 ______bidirectional communication. It should enable 7. CONCLUSION customers to not only receive social content, but also to generate social content. To support With the increasing demands for services and community development, companies could applications from users and business provide incentive mechanisms to drive organizations, e-commerce is facing new community growth, and offer diverse online and challenges of how to engage customer offline events to maintain customer participation and support business development. relationships. More importantly, as customers Evidence from academic studies and the share their experience and knowledge within the industrial sector indicate that leveraging social community through e-commerce systems, media tools is seen as a new approach to attention should be paid to usability. Indeed, it support e-commerce. Within this context, is necessary to provide user-friendly systems for customers have easy access to social knowledge customers to exchange experiences and and experiences to support them in better knowledge when they interact with social media understanding their online purchase purposes, tools. and in making more accurate purchase decisions. Businesses can capture customers’ Third, business organizations should aim for the interaction, gaining insights into customer authenticity of messages coming from their shopping experiences and expectations, which is customers. Negative customer comments may helpful for developing successful business create a risk for a product because customer strategies. However, although a variety of social generated content may influence how a product media tools have been implemented in current is perceived in the marketplace. Companies e-commerce, the social features relating to could monitor social media, such as forums and these social media tools need to be understood. discussion boards to listen and understand the To this end, this study examines e-commerce voice of customers. These messages seem more websites, identifying a number of existing social authentic to customers when they come from media tools. These tools include “blogs”, other customers. By using such authentic “reviews or feedbacks”, “like” and “share”, information, companies may solve specific “discussion board”, “referrals and product problems and strengthen brand recommendation”, “forums”, “peer community”, reputation, which is beneficial for motivating “rating reviews”, “social ads”, “social media positive customer attitude and developing long- event”, “synchronous shopping”, “mobile term loyalty. commerce”, “social storefront”, “wish lists”, “online expert support”, “content community”, Finally, as a variety of social media features and “customization products”. Based on their become available, business organizations should key features, these social media tools are employ experimentation so as to better attract grouped into five social feature categories, which and serve customers. For example, to increase cover social connection, social communities, sales, providing real time can allow social media marketing, social shopping and customers to interact with a company’s social application. Some implementation representative in real time to get more considerations are then proposed, including information about a particular product. Similarly, applying social feature learning to meet in order to enhance interactivity, companies marketing requirements, building community could experiment with rich social content through customer conversation, using the provision in multiple formats, such as text, authenticity of messages from customers and photo, video and audio. Moreover, with the experimenting with social media tools. All this to purpose of promoting customer shopping facilitate the understanding of social design experiences, companies could use interactive features, and support developers to leverage product displays, such as 3D graphical relevant social media tool in developing more presentations to allow customers to closely look social, collaborative and interactive e-commerce. at different aspects or features of products. Additionally, in order to expand product 8. FURTHER STUDIES influence, customer created product videos can be experimented as a way of advertising a However, this study has some limitations. First, product or as an informational tool. the study uses a small number of reviewers to examine e-commerce websites; so it may provide a limited view of the social media tools landscape. 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Appendices and Annexures

Table 1 Social commerce definitions Focus Definitions References System evolution A combination between social networking and e- (Jascanu et al. commerce. 2007) Marketing perspective A new trend in the e-marketplace where business (Constantinides organizations harness social media as a marketing tool and Fountain to support consumer interactions and purchase 2008) behaviours. Computer technology Internet mediated applications, integrating computer (Lee et al. aspect technologies, such as Web APIs, XML and AJAX 2008) (Murugesan 2007) with collaborative platforms, such as podcasting, social networking and user generated content. Consumers’ role A form of social media, encouraging consumers to (Stephen and actively engage in the marketing and selling of products Toubia 2009) in online marketplaces and communities.

Table 2 Summary of social commerce products from industry Vendors Products Explanations References IBM Websphere Built on IBM e-commerce server and integrated with the (Dennison commerce IBM Retail Industry Framework platform, offering et al. commerce collaboration, optimization, and business 2009) analysis capabilities. SAP SAP To align with processes and allow users to work together to (Elliott Netweaver achieve common goals, SAP Netweaver Portal provides 2010) Portal discussion forums, involving users to comment on, rank and tag content, and integrates SAP content with other platforms. Oracle Weblogic Oracle Weblogic Portal is used to deliver web 2.0 (Oracle Portal capabilities with rich interface and simplified application Paper building. 2011) Cisco Cisco Has been used as a service or software as a service (SaaS) (Cisco WebEx to support business performance, offering a collaborative WebEx Connect platform for providing “real time presence” information, Connect creating the potential to integrate a variety of web 2.0 Whitepaper applications into Cisco’s Unified Communications 2009) Architecture. Microsoft Popfly A collaborative tool built on Microsoft Silverlight, which (Microsoft provides an easy way for users to create and share Center mashups, gadgets, web pages and other applications on 2007) social networks. Google Google A social networking service for Gmail users to share links, (Ho 2010) Buzz photos, videos, status messages. It can also integrate with other Google applications, such as Picasa and YouTube to increase communication beyond email and chat. Facebook Social Uses Facebook business pages to create a presence for (Shih commerce companies on social networking sites. Facebook ads take 2011) platforms advantages of hyper targeting and word-of-mouth to retain existing users and involve new users’ participation. BT BT An online community incorporating a business directory and (CISCO Tradespace marketplace. Customers buy and sell products, and find a 2010) business and network with individuals of similar interests. Apple iTunes Provides “ratings and reviews” for App products, “forums (Anon ______©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 10 www.aitp-edsig.org 2012 Proceedings of the Conference on Information Systems Applied Research ISSN: 2167-1508 New Orleans Louisiana, USA v5 n2235 ______

and communities” on Apple Discussions, and 2010) “recommendations and referrals” in Genius social recommendations

Table 3 Social tools and applications within the selected e-commerce websites E-commerce 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 websites 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Apple × × √ √ × √ √ × × × × × × × × × × Bestbuy.com √ √ √ × × √ √ √ √ × × √ √ √ × √ × Amazon × √ √ × √ × × √ × × × × × √ × × × Buy.com × √ √ × √ × √ √ × × √ × √ √ √ × × BlueNile × √ √ × √ × × √ × × × √ × √ √ × √ eBags √ √ √ √ √ × × √ √ √ × × √ × √ √ × M&M’s × × √ × × × × × × × × × × × × × √ Borders × √ √ × √ × × √ × √ × × √ √ × × × Avon × √ √ × √ × × √ √ × × × √ √ × √ × Stila × √ √ × √ × √ √ × × × × √ × × × × North Face √ √ √ × × × √ √ √ √ × √ √ √ × √ × Orvis × √ √ × × × √ √ √ × × × √ √ √ √ × Shop with your × √ √ × × × × √ √ × √ × √ √ × √ × friend Gap × √ √ × × × √ √ × × × × √ × × × × Levi’s (US) √ √ √ × × × × √ √ √ × √ √ × × × × NikeID × √ √ × × × × √ × × × × × × × × √ Eddie Bauer × √ √ × × × × √ × × × × √ √ √ √ × Lands’ End × √ √ × × × × √ × × × × × × √ × × CSN Stores √ √ √ × √ × √ √ × × × × √ √ × × × Organic Bouquet × × √ × √ × √ × × × × × √ × × × × (√=used, ×=not used, 1=Blog, 2=Review or feedback, 3=Like and share, 4=Discussion board, 5=Referrals and Recommendation, 6=Forums, 7=Peer community, 8=Rating reviews, 9=Social ads, 10=Social media event, 11=Synchronous shopping, 12=Mobile commerce, 13=Social storefront, 14=Wish lists; 15=Online expert support, 16=Content community, 17=Customization)

Table 4 Summary of social features Social features Identified social media tools E-commerce website Social connection Like and share, Review or feedback, Rating Buy.com; eBags; M&M’s; reviews, etc. Levi’s (US); NikeID Social communities Blog, Discussion board, Forums, Peer Apple; Best Buy; Stila; community, Online expert community, support Orvis; Eddie Bauer; Lands’ End Social media Social ads, Social media event, Social Borders; North Face; Gap; marketing storefront, Content community, Broadcast CSN Stores; Organic content Bouquet Social shopping Referrals and Recommendation, Synchronous Amazon; Avon; shopping, Wish list, Social storefront, group Shopwithyourfriend; buy, fun shopping, etc. Buy.com Social applications Mobile commerce, Facebook commerce BlueNile; Best Buy

______©2012 EDSIG (Education Special Interest Group of the AITP) Page 11 www.aitp-edsig.org