2011 has seen the highest number of Australian businesses set up a presence on Facebook compared to previous years. Many businesses are now seeing Facebook as yet another community they can market their products and services too.
However many businesses used to traditional 'push' marketing (such as TV, print media, etc.) are struggling to understand how Facebook can be used successfully for their business. Just as the 1990's saw businesses buy up computers because 'they knew they had to', businesses are now trying to set up Facebook pages because 'they know they have to'.
As retail stores continue to struggle and large department stores are posting their worst profits in decades, we are seeing the rise of ecommerce as more and more consumers move from traditional retail shopping to the more flexible and wider ranging domain of online shopping.
Retailers are now realising that the rising costs of commercial leasing, shop fit outs, security, wages for sales people, stock shrinkage and more are all making it increasingly difficult to turn a decent profit. Smart and forward thinking retailers are now seeing the benefits of online shopping to tap into the ever growing lucrative online marketplace.