Social networks have influence on holiday shopping decisions, says survey

The survey suggests that shoppers were most swayed by product reviews written by other consumers on social media sites.

"We are getting our first real glimpse at the impact social media will play on commerce as we enter the next decade," ComScore Chairman and co-founder Gian Fulgoni said in the statement.

"Having a social media marketing strategy makes sense for retailers in this environment, because it's cost-effective and shows an effort to get closer to one's customers," he added.

Companies in the United States have acknowledged the power of social networks on consumer buying decisions. Both J.C. Penney and Eastman Kodak are using Facebook, the world's largest social networking site with more than 350 million users, and Twitter, a site that lets its more than 58 million users send 140-character messages, to lure shoppers searching for bargains online. 

"Our customers are spending a lot of time connecting with each other in these online communities, and we want to be there," said Nick Bomersbach, director of jcp.com. "Oftentimes they're talking about brands and J.C. Penney, and we want to have an open avenue to have that dialogue."

Seven percent of survey respondents said they have followed a company's Facebook fan page to receive alerts on special offers and discounts, while 5 percent said they follow Twitter to get the latest bargain news.