With Facebook’s recent announcement to become a traded company and the rise and fall of their stock, many are asking the question, “Will Facebook become the next MySpace?” R&A hears this question from retailers and manufacturers every day, “Should I really invest the time, energy and money into something that might die in 1, 2, 5 or 10 years?”

R&A’s response is short and simple. Can you really afford not to invest in Facebook?

Gazing into the future of any type of social media is frightening. This is because social media is always evolving; it’s morphing and transitioning into something new every day. Look at the sudden emergence of Pinterest! BOOM! The new fad came out of nowhere and now many retailers are figuring out ways to make money from it.

Keep this key mentality in mind. Social media is going to change with the times, just as we’ve witnessed with traditional media:

• Radio turned into satellite and Internet radio
• TV turned into YouTube, Hulu, Google TV and Apple TV
• The newspaper turned into online news, twitter, and mobile or table applications

You can rest assured Facebook is here to stay! It won’t be the same in 10-years time or even one year from now. But, it’s vital to keep the focus on the here-and-now of what Facebook can do for your retail store. Look at the stats below and ask what Facebook can do for your store:

• 900 Million Active Users
• 67% B2C have acquired a customer via Facebook.
• The average Facebook Fan:
  • Spends $71.84 more than a non-fan
  • 28% more likely to continue using a brand
  • 41% more likely to recommend a product