Fashion retailers are a failure on Facebook

Fashion retailers do not use their social media presence adequately, according to a study with 50 fashion and shoe retailers in the United Kingdom. Even the most basic contact information is often missing from their pages.

Missed opportunities

Visitors cannot find any information about the company’s customer service on 28 out of 50 researched Facebook pages. 18 of them neglected to answer a question from one of their customers, while 11 pages have no “call to action” buttons like “Contact us” or “Buy Now”. These are all wasted opportunities to engage and attract shoppers.

“When a shopper sees a nice piece of clothing in the window, they want to be able to come inside and purchase that item. Retailers understand that need very well, but they do not follow that same logic on Facebook”, Practicology Social Media Consultant Amada Haxton said.

Crucial part of the customer service

“Even worse, the retailers give the customer a chance to send messages, but they often do not answer. That is as if a store employee refused to answer a shopper’s question.”

Retailers should treat their social media channels as a crucial part of their customer service strategy, she advises. Its homepage imagery should be similar to its collection and current promotional deals. Customers should get their questions answered within 24 hours. Make things more personal: approach them with their name and sign the reply with the employee’s name.

The report, which contains the best business practices and 10 pieces of advice for fashion retailers can be downloaded here.