Savvy small retailers 'are taking advantage of Twitter'

Small retailers who are taking steps to improve their communications infrastructure by investing in VoIP solutions should not underestimate the importance of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter when it comes to growing their business in an efficient manner.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre for Retail Research, said that while most large organisations have a presence on such websites, only a handful of smaller companies do.

He suggested that established retailers use such platforms to respond to customer queries and reveal new product launches.

Where smaller retailers struggle is having the time and resources to use Twitter effectively, Mr Bamfield stated.

"My feeling is that probably only the better smaller retailers are using Twitter and those that have got an interest in it. The same comments could be made about the use of Facebook," the expert added.

According to research by Virgin Media Business, only nine per cent of 500 retailers surveyed said they use Twitter to boost their commercial operations.