Influencers

Warm Up

1. Do you use social media?

2. How much time do you spend on your phone each day?

3. Do you read reviews before buying something?
   

Reading

Influencers, Phones: How People Shop in the US

According to a new survey by the Pew Research Center, 76% of people in the US now shop online using their smartphones; making shopping easier than ever before. Among people aged 30 to 49 this increases, with as many as 92% using their phones to buy things online. Pew's survey also found that 69% of people have made a purchase using a computer, but just 28% have done so on a tablet. 32% percent said they buy something online using their phone at least once a week. This was true for almost half of the 30 to 49-year-olds surveyed, but only 11% of over 65s. However, that doesn't mean that traditional shops are a thing of the past. More than half of the people surveyed said they prefer shopping in a physical store to online.

Not only has the way we shop changed over time, the way companies advertise is different too. Reports suggest that brands now spend billions of dollars on paying influencers to promote their products. According to the survey results, it is working. 39% percent of social media users said that influencers have at least a little impact on what they buy. Among adult women under the age of 29, 57% said influencers had a little impact on what they decide to purchase, and 5% said they had a big impact.

Reading Comprehension

1. Did most survey participants prefer online or in-store shopping?

2. What percentage of 30 to 49-year-olds buy something using their phone once a week?

3. Did most social media users say influencers have an impact on what they buy?
   

Discussion Questions

1. What are your thoughts on the findings of Pew's survey?

2. Do you find it surprising that 76% of Americans shop online using their phones?

3. How often do you shop online? What devices do you mainly use?

4. Do you prefer shopping online or in-store?

5. Do social media influencers have any impact on the things you buy?

6. Which of your recent purchases are you most happy with?

7. Have you ever returned something you bought online?

8. Which of your friends or family is the biggest shopaholic?

9. Do you know anyone who's very careful with money?

10. Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping. — Bo Derek. What are your thoughts on this statement?