Social Influence Impacts Buying: True or False?

What impact can social media really have on a consumer’s decision to make a purchase?

It’s a fair question, and one CouponCabin.com aims to answer through a survey that reveals some noteworthy statistics.

The short answer is that about a fifth of all consumers ages 49 and under believe social media recommendations hold sway, while the elder crowd is less easily convinced. But a detailed look at the numbers reveals some more interesting trends.

According to those numbers, social media holds purchasing sway with 18 percent of the total population, and with 23 percent of consumers under the age of 35. Similarly, a friend’s like or follow would sway 21 percent of consumers age 35-49, and men and women said they’re impacted to largely the same degree.

The only real drop off comes from consumers ages 50-64, only nine percent of who said social networking would impact their decisions.

For more stats and demographic breakdowns, view the infographic below.