Influencers advertise on the Internet for a wide variety of products – according to a survey, the vast majority of companies in wholesale and retail are not currently relying on this advertising measure.
49 percent have not even dealt with the topic, as can be seen from an industry survey by the Bitkom Association. Another 25 percent of the companies surveyed do not currently work with influencers and do not plan that either. Only 13 percent of the companies surveyed reported a cooperation.
Most dealers are also reserved for paid advertising on social networks. 59 percent operate their own profiles in social networks, but so far only 31 percent have switched there. Dealers with social media profiles are mainly on Facebook and Instagram.
For the survey, the Digitalverband Bitkom interviewed around 500 companies between March 10th and May 11th. According to Bitkom, the results are representative of companies from the large, single and motor vehicle trade with at least ten employees.
Most of the companies active online and offline
Basically, the vast majority of dealers (90 percent) perceive increased competitive pressure through digitization. Most of the companies not only reacted with a measure, said Bitkom general manager Bernhard Rohleder. 86 percent of companies sell their products inpatient and online.
According to the survey, 97 percent of the company that sells online operates a company-owned shop on the website, 89 percent offer orders by email, 78 percent are also represented on online marketplaces or sales platforms. Orders via social media platforms are not yet very important (27 percent).
Worry about less customer contact through AI solutions
The use of artificial intelligence is concerned about the dealers. For example, 81 percent fear that KI fake reviews will be generated on the Internet. 61 percent are concerned that the use of AI will lose direct contact with the customers. 25 percent already use AI in customer service and customer communication.
The International Management Consulting Bain & Company is already a falling customer loyalty by AI assistants one of the six challenges that could fundamentally change the business models and market mechanisms of retail by 2035. In the management levels of the companies, strategic planning would have to begin “to address the likely influence of widespread AI shopping assistants to their company at an early stage,” said the advice recently.