What is herd mentality?
Herd mentality, also known as “crowd mentality” refers to the concept where individuals are influenced by a larger group and tend to follow the behaviors, beliefs, and actions of the majority, leading to collective decision-making.
Herd mentality is often associated with situations where large groups of people gather, such as during protests, sporting events, or social media trends.
In retail, it is also associated with social proof, whereby a person, or people, who are unsure on the correct behavior will look to imitate others and outsource their decisions.
What are examples of herd mentality?
- Fashion Trends
Shoppers have been suggested as following crowd or herd mentality when looking for what’s trending, popular and in fashion. This can be seen in the rise of celebrity or influencer endorsements where followers often emulate their choices, contributing to herd-like behavior in fashion consumption.
- Social Media Trends
Herd or crowd mentality can be seen on following the latest social media trends, including TikTok/ Instagram dances, viral challenges, and the use of online campaigns using hashtags can mobilize large groups of people.
- Cultural Trends
Pop music fandoms. Dedicated fan bases of musicians often exhibit herd behavior in promoting and supporting their favourite artists, driving album sales and concert attendance. Film and TV series hype: The popularity of certain movies or TV shows can create a herd mentality, with audiences eager to watch based on peer recommendations and social buzz.
- Consumer Behavior
The rush to avail discounts and limited-time offers during events like Black Friday demonstrates herd behavior in consumer spending patterns.
- Investing Trends
Investors may buy stocks because of being influenced by the crowd, buying stock which is considered “hot”.
Understanding examples of herd/crowd mentality helps us recognise how social influence, digital connectivity, and shared experiences shape collective behavior in various domains of society.
How can herd mentality benefit eCommerce businesses?
Herd or crowd mentality, or the tendency of individuals to follow the actions of a larger group, can be a powerful tool in eCommerce retailers and brands. One key concept that leverages herd mentality is social proof, which is the concept that shoppers follow the wisdom of the crowd when making purchasing decisions.
As leaders in social proof, Taggstar delivers messaging using the wisdom of the crowd – specifically it helps potential customers to see which product out of the selection is the most popular, and gives them reassurance of the product’s popularity. People feel comfortable making similar decisions to other people, so will be drawn to a product marked popular, trending or bestseller.
Join the growing list of leading global brands & retailers that trust Taggstar to elevate their shopping experiences and drive significant sales lift. Get started today.
