A couple of recent technology-related developments gave a new dimension to the word ‘mining.’ One is related to bitcoin where mining is done to create more bitcoins and at the same time confirm transactions on the currency’s network making it more trustworthy. The other is associated with social commerce where the word “mine” is used by the buyer to signify the intention to buy the product being offered. You would usually use the word when you go shopping for goods on social media platforms.
Distinct from the usual e-commerce platforms like Lazada and Shopee which focus on enhancing the efficiency and integrity of online shopping, social commerce delivers a more interactive shopping experience. It includes relying on other users to assist buying decisions. It usually does not support a grievance redressal mechanism and payments are directly done between the seller and the buyer. Sometimes, advertisers must refer buyers to an external website or other facilities to conclude a sale.
A lot of other questions come to mind with social commerce. A lot of times, consumers are made to provide personal data in order to proceed with the transactions. Using powerful artificial intelligence algorithms, these data are usually kept by the social media platforms for targeted marketing and to present relevant product information.