Retailers hope to get pinned by shoppers

A growing number of retailers are looking to social media to develop deeper connections with their customers and nowhere is this truer than on Pinterest. The site, which allows consumers to grab photos, videos and other content from all over the web and share them through pin boards, has proven successful in driving sales online and in stores.

According to data from RichRelevance, via an Associated Press report, Pinterest users spend an average of $199.16 per shopping trip compared to $92.27 for Facebook and $58.02 for Twitter.

In March of last year, Nordstrom began a test placing the Pinterest "P" logo next to items in its store that had been pinned the most on the social media site. A company spokesperson, at the time, described Pinterest as Nordstrom’s "fastest growing social channel."

More recently, CB2, the home décor chain owned by Crate & Barrel, launched a promotion to enlist Pinterest users in decorating an empty New York City apartment.

[Image: APT CB2]

The promotion, known as APT CB2, asks Pinterest users to select from several choices (chairs, lamps, etc.) to be used in the space. The apartment will be furnished with the most pinned items. Items for various rooms are voted on in one-hour increments over the course of the promotion, which will cover five rooms over a period of five days. One lucky participant will win a dream room worth $5,000.

"They’re combining the physical and the digital world, they’re creating real-world examples of how their furniture looks and feels, and they’re doing it in a fun, interactive, contemporary way," Damian Bazadona, president of Situation Interactive, told The New York Times.

BrainTrust

Discussion Questions

What do you see as the pros and cons for retailers running Pinterest promotions? What is your assessment of the APT CB2 promotion?

Poll

2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Li McClelland
Li McClelland
9 years ago

Quite often when social media sites and blogs feature “pinned” photos of a pair of great Nordstrom boots or a CB2 patio set, the immediate discussion among commenters is to rave over the look, followed by helpful tips on where to find items that look “almost exactly like” them at a lesser price. Not sure this is what the retailers in question should be aiming for.

Shep Hyken
Shep Hyken
9 years ago

Go where the customers are! If the retailer’s customers are actively using Pinterest, then be a part of that social channel. As for the contest, anytime you can get customers engaged in some type of gamification or a contest, you are enhancing the relationship. The APT CB2 contest is fun, engaging and showcases the product. A great combination!