Smith Business Close-Up: The Rise of E-Tail and Social Shopping

Thursday, December 13, 2012, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, December 17, 2012, 7:30 a.m.

E-commerce and online sales have revolutionized holiday shopping. First there was the rise of Cyber Monday, but now the growth of mobile and tablet-based commerce makes it easier than ever to shop from anywhere at any time. Social media has accelerated this process, with consumers sharing shopping tips with friends and retailers offering special deals.

In this edition of Smith Business Close-Up with the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, Bill Rand talks about how e-commerce and social media have revolutionized holiday shopping and the way we buy things throughout the year.

Rand is an assistant professor of marketing and directs the Smith School’s Center for Complexity in Business. He studies social networks, geographic information systems, and the way information spreads on the Internet. Rand also has an appointment with the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, and affiliate appointments with the departments of Decision, Operations & Information Technology and Computer Science.