Consumers Share With Friends at ShopSocially

One startup social commerce site is carving out its own niche by offering online shoppers a unique spin on user-generated product ratings. ShopSocially puts the emphasis on friends' recommendations, with the belief that a few of those possess more value to consumers than countless reviews from anonymous strangers.

And many users seem to agree, as do a number of investors. The company, which launched in May, already has more than 10,000 product recommendations on its site, and just secured more than $1 million in new funding.

ShopSocially uses the social graph to connect its users with their Facebook friends once both parties have joined the service. Then shoppers can use the site to share their opinions about products they've purchased, or to ask questions about a product before making a purchase.

ShopSocially saves and organizes the content so that the information can easily be used to search for a specific product or recommendation in the future. Naturally, the most active members earn badges and rewards for their social shopping prowess.

Retailers can integrate with ShopSocially to earn their own rewards from social recommendations. ShopSocially turns every purchase into a social endorsement, thus driving "friend referred" traffic back to the retailer's site. Interested merchants should take a look at the site and contact ShopSocially for more information.