What do you get when you throw a bunch of people in a room together with nothing more than their thoughts and a few hours to kill? One thing you can count on—once they’ve gotten past polite small talk—is animated, revealing conversation about whatever happens to be on their minds. As a general rule, people love sharing their opinions and gauging the reactions of others.

The same concept holds true in the world of cyberspace. With the proliferation of social networking sites, people need not be in the same room—heck, not even in the same country—to share their viewpoints. Most everyone is scrambling to make their mark in the online medium, and interactive forums and blog postings make it virtually effortless to get their thoughts and experiences on the record.

So how does all of this impact eCommerce? More than you might expect. Social networking has become a largely untapped resource for the marketing of online products and services. Remember word of mouth, perhaps the oldest and most effective method of advertising? It’s still alive and kicking, with a twist—instead of Aunt Sue telling her neighbor about the incredible deal on that sweater she got at the department store, she’s blogging to thousands about the steal she found on Amazon’s site. (more…)