I came across a recent American Marketing Association consumer survey. In a press release issued in conjunction with the survey, AMA’s CMO, Nancy Costopulos, says “more Americans are taking their holiday shopping to social networks instead of the mall…”

Now, as marketers, we’re intimately aware of the impact social media has on consumer (and even business) behaviors. For instance, we already have an idea of how product ratings and reviews can influence online purchases.

This AMA survey sharpens the picture we had in our mind of how companies can leverage social media to inform consumer buying decisions - particularly during the holiday season. Check out this chart, which highlights Prospective Holiday Use of Social Networking Sites:

This chart shows us in black and white (and purple and red) that - if the service were available - almost half (47%) of all respondents said they would go to a social-networking site to download coupons or search for gift ideas. And nearly as many (45%) would use a social-networking site to find out about upcoming sales in stores or discounts on products.

This makes sense. But, why social networking sites and not just the company’s website or email newsletters, where sales and offers already exist?

I wrote a while back about Industry Specific Social Networks. Vertical social sites such as these are strong indicators of what this survey is referring to. People want to leverage their social networks - where people of like interests already congregate - to inform their buying decisions. Social influence and personal opinion is highly valuable.

For an example: On the advice of Shelfari, (who commented on my industry-specific blog post) I installed their facebook widget/application.

(A ’shelf’ in my Shelfari widget. Of COURSE there’s a children’s book.)

What makes this such a good example is not just that I have this shelf, or that people can see what I read; but that my ratings and reviews of them might influence others to purchase these books. For example, my co-worker Travis Bailey also has a ’shelf’ on facebook … and I do look at his book selections and reviews. (BTW - the application, which is very well designed - does allow you to link to Amazon.com to purchase the books you’re interested in.)

Pay attention during next year’s holiday season. I predict an increase in the amount of holiday purchases stemming from social websites.