Social Media and Social Commerce Disrupt the Fashion System

This chapter focusses on the evolution and application and management of social media sites in the context of developments in social commerce as the interactive site for seller-customer interactions whether B2B or B2C or C2C throughout the fashion shopping journey across all of its stages. The chapter starts by providing a background discussion on social commerce, before turning to the evolution of social media channels, platform usage and service management from the producer perspective in the specific context of the fashion industry. The chapter demonstrates the complexity of social media channels and the problems of managing communications across multiple platforms and media while addressing each stage of the customer journey. Fashion brands in particular attract the close of attention of online communities and social networks that influence their brand communications. The chapter continues by arguing that social media platforms are one of the most targeted, disruptive, and powerful ways to reach, influence, enhance and manage the fashion customer journey as both a process and an experience (Edvardsson et al., 2005), from initial customer thoughts and awareness about a brand or a fashion collection to post-purchase and considerations of future purchases.