Study: Pinterest a boon to independent boutiques

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Casual Living, 8/6/2012 10:47:20 AM

LOS ANGELES — A recent Bizrate study found 12% of online shoppers who viewed product on a boutique's Pinterest board made a purchase.
The biggest retail beneficiary of the social networking site from a sell-through standpoint was Esty.com, where nearly one in five bought something they saw on Esty's board, according to the Bizrate Insights Image Sharing and Shopping Series.
"Smaller retailers appear to be leading the charge on sites such as Pinterest, as exemplified by their ability to ignite a passionate base of supporters to gain sales through grassroots efforts," said Hayley Silver, vp, Bizrate Insights. "Therefore it is not surprising that today these retailers are in the spotlight. It will be interesting to see how the dynamic changes as larger retail brands begin to emulate or improve upon customer engagement in the new medium."
The study also found that 25% of those aware of image sharing sites, such as Pinterest, have made a purchase through them.
The most browsed Pinterest category was Home, Garden, Pool & Spa. In terms of generating purchases, the category ranked No. 4.