Viral Buzz vs. Retail Reality: How Brands Can Bridge the Gap to Meet Consumer Expectations
The explosion of social media-driven viral products has become a major force in retail, with many consumers flocking to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to discover the latest must-have items. However, while these viral trends generate massive online buzz, retailers are finding it challenging to meet the actual demand in physical stores and online inventory. A recent survey by RELEX Solutions sheds light on the disconnect between social media hype and the realities of supply chain and inventory management in the retail world.
The study highlights several key insights into how viral products affect consumer behavior and the operational hurdles retailers face when responding to surges in demand for trending items. While 84% of consumers report purchasing products they discover on social media platforms, the path to purchase is not as impulsive as one might think. The survey found that only 11% of consumers buy trending products within 24 hours, with 55% taking up to a month before making a purchase. This indicates that despite the strong social media pull, consumers are generally taking a more considered approach rather than engaging in spur-of-the-moment buying decisions.
The Search for Trending Products: Consumer Behavior Reveals Gaps
One of the most significant challenges uncovered by the survey is the difficulty consumers face in finding viral products in stock when they visit physical stores. Although social media exposure drives interest in these trending items, 68% of consumers report having to check 2 to 4 or more stores before locating the products they’re looking for. Worse still, only 12% of consumers successfully find the viral products they seek during their first store visit.
This stockout issue highlights a critical gap between social media discovery and physical product availability, frustrating consumers who may turn to competitors or even abandon their search entirely. In fact, 19% of consumers will give up altogether if they cannot find a product within their immediate area.
This finding speaks volumes about the operational challenges that retailers face. Despite the overwhelming demand created by social media trends, retailers and brands often struggle to keep their shelves stocked with trending products in a timely manner. The reality is that viral products are often hard to predict, making inventory management and demand forecasting particularly challenging.
Retailers’ Struggles with Stockouts and Inventory Management
RELEX Solutions also spoke directly to retailers and brands to understand their pain points in managing viral product demand. According to a survey of 20 major and medium-sized retailers at the NRF Big Show, 65% reported experiencing stockouts of viral products, indicating a lack of preparedness for sudden surges in consumer interest.
Additionally, 45% of these retailers cited inventory carrying costs as a major profitability challenge when dealing with viral products. Retailers also face significant delays in responding to viral demand, with 45% reporting that it takes more than a week to adjust their inventory or restock items during demand spikes. These operational inefficiencies underscore the importance of improving the flexibility and responsiveness of supply chains to effectively capitalize on viral trends.
Bridging the Gap: The Key to Long-Term Success
The data clearly reveals an existing gap between the excitement generated on social media and the reality of meeting consumer demand in retail stores. However, RELEX’s Group Vice President of CPG and Manufacturing, Dr. Madhav Durbha, emphasizes that the solution lies in maintaining consistent product availability over an extended period rather than simply chasing fleeting viral moments. “Ensuring consistent availability across the extended purchase consideration window will be what drives long-term success for businesses,” Dr. Durbha notes.
This perspective calls for retailers to shift their focus from short-term viral trends to long-term strategies that allow them to meet customer expectations throughout the entire decision-making process. Retailers need to rethink how they handle product restocking, inventory visibility, and supply chain optimization to ensure that viral products remain available long after the initial buzz dies down. This strategic shift will be crucial in maintaining customer loyalty and capturing repeat purchases.
Consumer Preferences: Traditional Factors Still Dominate
Despite the powerful influence of social media on purchasing decisions, traditional retail factors such as price and convenience continue to be major drivers for consumers when selecting where to buy. According to the survey, 56% of consumers consider price the most important factor when deciding where to purchase a product, while 42% prioritize store convenience. In contrast, trend-specific features such as a store’s reputation for carrying trending products (27%) or the availability of dedicated sections for viral products (18%) ranked much lower in importance.
These findings suggest that while social media can drive awareness, the fundamental aspects of retail—like price, convenience, and product accessibility—remain crucial to consumer decision-making. Retailers seeking to capitalize on viral product trends must focus on cost-efficiency, inventory transparency, and overall accessibility to successfully meet consumer demand.
The Social Media Platform Influence: Generational Shifts
When it comes to which social media platforms have the most influence on consumer purchase decisions, Facebook takes the lead at 25%, followed closely by TikTok at 21%, and Instagram at 20%. YouTube (16%) and Pinterest (3%) trail behind in influence. However, platform preferences vary significantly across generations. Among 18-29-year-olds, 43% favored TikTok, while 30-44-year-olds preferred Instagram (29%) and Facebook (23%). Facebook also led among older age groups, with 28% of 45-60-year-olds and 34% of those aged 60+ citing it as the most influential platform.
The generational differences in platform preferences also affect consumer behavior in terms of how many stores they are willing to check before making a purchase. Younger consumers, particularly those aged 18-29, are more likely to check multiple stores (19% checked 4+ stores), while older shoppers (60+) are less likely to do so, with just 7% willing to check 4 or more locations. This shift emphasizes the need for retailers to focus on improving the convenience of their offerings for older shoppers, perhaps by enhancing online availability, offering better inventory visibility, and ensuring reliable stock levels.
The Future of Social Commerce: Building Resilient Retail Operations
As Dr. Durbha notes, the future of retail lies not just in capitalizing on viral moments but in building resilient, flexible operations that can sustain consumer interest beyond the initial social media hype. “The true opportunity as we look ahead in 2025 and beyond lies in not just chasing viral moments but in building resilient retail operations that can sustain interest beyond the initial social media buzz,” he says. Retailers who master the balance between digital discovery and physical execution will define the next era of retail success.
To achieve this, retailers must invest in supply chain technologies, improve demand forecasting, and leverage data to gain deeper insights into consumer behavior and inventory management. By doing so, they can create a seamless connection between social media trends and physical product availability, ensuring that trending products remain accessible to consumers long after they discover them online.
Retail’s New Reality in the Age of Social Commerce
The rise of social commerce has fundamentally reshaped the way consumers discover and purchase products. While social media platforms are crucial in driving product discovery and influencing purchase decisions, the survey highlights the significant challenges retailers face in meeting the demand for trending products. By focusing on long-term strategies that prioritize consistent availability, convenience, and cost-efficiency, retailers can bridge the gap between social media buzz and retail reality, setting themselves up for success in the evolving landscape of retail.
Retailers that can master this balance and build resilient operations will not only capitalize on viral trends but also create lasting connections with customers, ensuring that they are ready for the future of social commerce.
