There’s no denying it – social networking sites are everywhere. As soon as you boot up your computer you’ll be confronted with status updates from acquaintances, friends and celebrities. However, social sites are fast becoming a powerful tool for businesses too. Sharing news and trends and browsing social sites is now seen as a vital part of everyday working life.
And one social site that could help you expand your wholesale business is Pinterest. It can be used to spot wholesale trends – here’s how.
What Is It?
Pinterest is an online networking site however it is quite different from its predecessors. Users can upload and grab images from the net that appeal to them and organise them on an online pin board. The site enables users to organise inspirational images and many people use it for ideas for things such as weddings, parties, holidays and fashion looks.
How Do I Use It?
Log in to Pinterest and you can select categories to browse. Categories are varied and include architecture, hair and beauty, holidays and clothing. After selecting a category you can browse what products and trends Pinterest users are talking about. You can then choose to ‘re-pin’ the content to your account if you want to bookmark the picture. This is how content is shared.
How Do I Spot Trends?
For a wholesale buyer this site can be very beneficial. Logging in regularly will allow you to see updates of product trends – especially if you follow relevant people. To spot a trend you need to decide what category you are interested in – does your wholesale business concentrate on clothing? Beauty? Electronics? Once you have decided your market you can start following relevant users – this could include companies and celebrities. By logging into the site regularly you will be able to see instant picture updates of new products on your news feed. To find out how popular a topic is, check to see if anyone has ‘re-pinned’ it. The amount of shares a post has will indicate how popular it is. After you have spotted a product trend, spend time sourcing a competitive wholesale supplier to ensure you get the best deal before you start selling it on.
