Compete With Amazon by Creating Community

• Add buttons that go beyond a "Like," such as Google's "+1" and Pinterest's "Pin It!," onto your product pages.
• "Pinterestize" the product sharing experience by trying a "pin it to win it" contest or displaying your top trending items by integrating a feed onto your commerce site. Cost Plus does this on its homepage.
• Enable shoppers to consult their friends on purchasing decisions by providing a tool to create a time-limited product poll to gather input.

Yes, the investment required to start, build and maintain community is significant, yet the potential rewards are greater. Making your e-commerce site a definitive gathering place for your audience can distinguish your brand and offer unique value that Amazon can't touch.