SocialShop – a national quantitative and qualitative research study – looks at social media usage from the eyes of a shopper to understand the influence each respective platform has on a person’s buying behavior.

From Facebook and Twitter to YouTube and Groupon, people of all ages are using social networking sites and other user-generated content platforms as shopping tools. In fact, SocialShop found 42 percent of social shoppers are using Facebook more than they were a year ago, while 55 percent of shoppers are utilizing daily deals more and 46 percent of shoppers have increased engagement on review sites and forums.

For brands, using social media in the wrong way can have a negative impact on relationships. Forty-four percent of social shoppers said they had stopped interacting with brands on Facebook due to lack of relevant or valuable posts.

Within SocialShop, researchers identified six shopper archetypes reflecting the needs and habits of today’s social shoppers:

Savvy Passionista – The Social Trendsetter 
The Savvy Passionista is a heavy social shopper using social media channels to broadcast the latest trends and stay connected with favorite brands. Savvy Passionistas are indulgent and use social channels to express feelings and stay relevant and “in-the-know.”

Opportunistic Adventurer – The Daily Dealaholic 
Opportunistic Adventurers are on a mission to score fun and unexpected deals. With impulsive social shopping tendencies, this shopper demands timely and relevant deals.

Quality Devotee – The High Maintenance, High Standards Shopper
Quality Devotees use social media to shape purchasing decisions, validate choice and to feel empowered when making a purchase. No matter the time or research involved, Quality Devotees will find the best product available.

Strategic Saver: The Black Belted Negotiator 
Strategic Savers use social media to comparison shop and spend time deal-digging only for their favorite brands.

Efficient Sprinter: The Few Dollars Shorter, Several Minutes Richer Shopper 
Efficient Sprinters want to save time and use social media to select items that are considered most popular to simplify their shopping process.

Dollar Defaulter: The Dollar Sign Connoisseur 
The Dollar Defaulter has just one social shopping goal: find the cheapest alternative. With utilitarian shopping needs, Dollar Defaulters choose only the lowest prices and do not feel loyal to specific brands.

Which one are your?