4. Social Media and Social Commerce Disrupt the Fashion System

This chapter delves into the evolution, application, and management of social media sites in the context of social commerce, focusing on the interactive dynamics between sellers and customers across B2B, B2C, and C2C transactions throughout the fashion shopping journey. It begins with a background discussion on social commerce, followed by an exploration of the evolution of social media channels and platform usage from the producer's perspective. The chapter argues that social media platforms are one of the most targeted, disruptive, and powerful ways to influence and manage the fashion customer journey across all its stages. It discusses the role of social media in facilitating unique, closer, and more long-term customer relationships, enhancing sales, and developing nuanced consumer interactions. The chapter also examines the impact of social media on the classic customer journey, which includes pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase stages, and highlights the importance of understanding both the firm and customer perspectives of the purchase journey. Additionally, it explores the role of social networking platforms in changing the way fashion brands do business, market, promote, shop, socialize, and generate ideas. The chapter concludes by discussing the future of the fashion customer journey in the social media space, inviting suppliers, brands, and customers to perform a digital dance from pre-purchase and awareness through consideration to build new friendships by experiencing memorable interchanges across stimulating touchpoints.