By Laura Gunderson, The Oregonian
NEW YORK — Over the past decade, the Internet has made the world a smaller place.
Now retailers the world wide hope social media will have the same shrinking effect, making them seem a little smaller to their customers. And more personable. And maybe even a little sassy.
As thousands of U.S. and global retailers come together this week at the National Retail Federation conference in New York, one theme that keeps playing out is just how smart consumers have become. They are tech savvy, know what they want, and how to research it.
Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter provide forums for shoppers to share their knowledge with the friends and family.
“Consumers have so much information — sometimes more information than the clerk waiting on her,” said Alison Paul,vice chairwoman and U.S. retail leader for researcher Deloitte Consulting.
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