What term describes the practice of using the Internet to communicate about product preferences with other shoppers?

The practice of using the Internet to communicate about product preferences with other shoppers is best described as social shopping. This term encompasses the ways in which consumers leverage social platforms and online communities to share insights, seek recommendations, and discuss products with each other, all of which can influence buying decisions. Social shopping often involves interactions through social media, consumer review sites, or community forums where shoppers exchange opinions and experiences.

While social engagement refers more broadly to the interactions between brands and customers on social platforms, and online shopping specifically pertains to the act of purchasing goods via the internet, social shopping uniquely highlights the communal aspect of the shopping experience where preferences and recommendations are shared among peers. Digital marketing, on the other hand, is a broader term that encompasses various online marketing strategies used by brands to reach consumers, but it does not specifically address the act of shoppers communicating their preferences to one another. Hence, social shopping accurately captures the concept of collaborative consumption and shared experiences in the digital marketplace.