What Last Year’s Retail Trends Mean for 2012

4. Social commerce all hype? According to Forrester's findings, social networks were a minimal source of sales during the 2011 holiday season. Very few consumers are learning of retailers' deals - let alone making purchases — via brands' social media efforts, Mulpuru said. Yet retailers aren't heeding this warning. A Forrester survey found that retailers plan to focus their social media spend in 2012 on custom stores on Facebook, despite the fact that consumers find this to be one of the least effective social media tactics. Facebook is chasing the display ad budget, not necessarily search and email, Mulpuru said.