In recent years, with the advent of social networks, new trading platforms have appeared that had been presented to us for another purpose. Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram have already shown their role in e-commerce on social networks, or Social Commerce.

Social Commerce, or S-Commerce as it is also known, is the integration of e-commerce in social networks with the aim of promoting products and making purchases.

To embark on S-Commerce, it is necessary to study and define the best communication mechanisms, considering that they are still processes with which consumers are not totally fluent. As major advantages of Social Commerce we can highlight the following:

• It functions as a dynamic business showcase;

• Facilitates the disclosure of product characteristics;

• Promotes interaction with the target audience;

• Presents low cost to sellers.

The word of the customer is the one that counts most in social commerce. Creating a more engaging and user-friendly shopping experience is of the utmost importance to convert visitors from social media pages into customers. Then there is work to retain customers after the initial purchase.

One of the best examples of Social Commerce resides in Instagram and is called Instagram Shoppable. Instagram allows professional accounts to create product stores, which you can then associate with posts or, more recently, stories. From the Instagram store, visitors are directed to a page on the site where they can complete their purchase. The main attraction of shopping on Instagram is that buyers see a product in its "natural habitat".

In turn, Pinterest has "Shoppable Pins", which allow users to buy their products without leaving Pinterest. People can easily identify these Pins, search results, related Pins, and your company profile. The entire purchase process is completed without ever leaving the application.

Experts believe that success lies in the fact that when people arrive at the brand site, they already have an intention to buy once they see something they want to buy.

Between the “Shop” buttons in Pinterest and the Shoppable posts on Instagram, social commerce seems less and less a possibility of the future and more a reality of the present.