We love Twitter. And we love online shopping, in case you didn’t notice. When the two meet, we’re just beside ourselves. While plenty of online stores have a Twitter account where they post deals or handle customer service, some stores go way above and beyond, offering some amazingly awesome content or being incredibly interactive with its followers. Those guys are the true cherries on our ice cream sundae.
So which stores are the most social on Twitter? That’s what we wanted to find out. We spent waaaay too many hours on the site (shh… don’t tell our boss), and came up with a list of the 40 best online stores with Twitter accounts. Here for you are the top merchants we think you should be following (Oh, and be sure to tell them @JoeShopping sent ya!):
1-800-PetMeds (@1800PetMeds)
What do pet lovers enjoy doing most? Yeah, sharing stories and photos about their pets. That’s just what you’ll find on 1-800-PetMeds’ Twitter stream. A great mix of contests, coupons, pet tips and news, along with plenty of shared photos for a fun interactive environment.
6pm.com (@6pm)
Sure the folks at 6pm.com will occasionally mention sales, new products and handle customer service issues, but the bulk of their day is spent chatting with their followers about recent purchases or asking clothing or shoe-related opinion questions. They’re definitely putting the “social” in “social shopping.”
Abt Electronics (@abtelectronics)
From iPads to Blu-ray players, the Abt gang shares a love of electronics with their Twitter followers as they chat about the latest innovations in technology. You’ll also regularly find deals spotlighted and plenty of gift card giveaways.
Ace (@AceHardware)
Ace is the place… the place for some seriously nice and friendly tweets. Get a heads-up on store sales and coupons, all sorts of repair tips, and even a huge congrats if you suddenly become mayor of your local Ace courtesy of FourSquare.
Ann Taylor (@anntaylor)
Like its sister site @LOFT, the Ann Taylor Twitter feed is chock full of compliments and positive feedback for all the outfits its followers share. They clearly take the time to listen to their fans, and mix things up with fashion questions, giveaways, coupons and more.
Anthropologie (@Anthropologie)
Anthropologie sells some truly unique women’s clothing and home decor. So it’s no surprise that tons of the store’s customers love sharing their recent purchases on Twitter. Look for plenty of comments, retweets and photos.
Archie McPhee (@archiemcphee)
For a store that sells true oddities like Emergency Googly Eyes and Inflatable Beards, you’d expect an equally entertaining and wacky Twitter stream of awesome. And you’d be 100% correct! Highly interactive, expect plenty of goofy photos, videos and links.
Athleta (@athleta)
Running. Stretching. Working out. Moving. That’s what Athleta’s all about, and that’s just what they preach to the Twitterverse. Look for announcements of new store openings and sales, inspirational posts, and plenty of warm fuzzies to go around!
Bath & Body Works (@LUVBBW)
From general questions to popular fragrances, the team behind BBW’s Twitter account loves talking fragrances with their fans. They do a bang-up job interacting, be it sharing new purchases, commenting back or handling customer service complaints. It’s not just their products that are so sweet…
Blockbuster (@blockbuster)
Like movies? Then you’re in good company. The movie rental store chats regularly with its followers about the latest big screen hits (and flops), celebrity birthdays, TV shows, newest DVD releases and more.
Bluefly (@bluefly)
It’s ALL about fashion for Bluefly. Style and trend updates, the latest designer sales, and a slew of comments on followers’ outfits are all pretty much the norm.
BuyCostumes (@BuyCostumes)
We love the gang at BuyCostumes! You’ll get the lowdown on the hottest costumes and current coupons and deals, plus a bevvy of opinion polls and funtastic photos. They really do a top-notch job of mixing pop-culture with “this day in history.”
Charlotte Russe (@CharlotteRusse)
The Charlotte Russe Twitter Stream is a virtual fashion show runway. They’re constantly sharing fashionable photos of celebs and fans strutting around in their latest designer fashions. You’ll also learn about the latest sales, join in on fashion polls and get a chance to snag some gift cards in regular giveaways.
Crate & Barrel (@CrateandBarrel)
“Home Tweet Home.” That’s what Crate and Barrel’s Twitter bio says and they certainly live up to it. The home furnishings store tweets with its followers and they do it quite often, whether it’s commenting on a follower’s photo or purchase, or asking for feedback.
DSW Shoe Warehouse (@DSWShoeLovers)
DSW loves shoes. Just check their Twitter stream and you’ll see them regularly sharing reviews and tips with their followers about any and all kinds of footwear. They geniuely seem to love getting (and giving) feedback to all their fans.
Estee Lauder (@EsteeLauder)
Get expert beauty advice (and tons of compliments) from the folks handling the Estee Lauder Twitter feed. They do a super job of mixing things up with tips, quotes, retweets, information and photos.
Gap (@Gap)
The social media coordinators for Gap are obssessed with fashion. But in a good way! Besides handling customer complaints, they regularly retweet and chat with followers about their latest purchases.
Godiva (@GodivaChoc)
If it’s not too torturous for you, following Godiva on Twitter can lead to all sorts of happiness. And chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Find plenty of user interaction via comments and retweets, as well as mouth-watering photos.
The Home Depot (@HomeDepot)
Nicole and Blake do a stellar job of funneling customer service complaints/requests, as well as sharing Special Buys of the Day and home repair tips and suggestions. Not to mention oodles of cheerleading support for their do-it-yourself followers.
JCPenney (@jcpenney)
JCP is a pretty family friendly kind of department store, and their Twitter feed is a real good reflection of that. Lots of interactions with followers, as well as updates on sales, new product lines and more.
Juicy Couture (@Juicy_Couture)
While there’s not much in terms of retweets and @ mentions with users, the Juicy Couture team spares no expense in the hashtag department! You’ll find some incredibly bubbly tweets mixed in with such entertaining hashtags as #rainbowofpants and #sandalsandminisandcutoffsohmy. If you’re a fan of Juicy Couture, you’ll <3 them on Twitter for sure. #WarmAndFuzziesIndeed
The Land of Nod (@TheLandofNod)
Childhood should be chock full of fun and innocence and that’s pretty much what you’ll get from The Land of Nod’s Twitter account. Expect a little bit of everything: fun facts (Did you know: A giraffe can clean its ears with its own tongue?), debates (at what age do you start having “kid parties”?), and oodles of great interactions with their followers.
LOFT (@LOFT)
Need a fashion critic? The LOFT Twitter crew is constantly sharing user photos and commenting on their latest outfits. You can also get in on giveways, coupons, sales, deals and all sorts of entertaining info.
Meijer (@meijer)
Just like the family-owned business, you’ll find a little bit of everything on Meijer’s Twitter account. Famous quotes, contests, giveaways, sale alerts and plenty of chatting with their followers.
Men’s Wearhouse (@menswearhouse)
You’re going to like the way they tweet. We guarantee it! Joe, Sarah, Nicole & David join forces to really keep the conversation moving as they offer stylish tips, fill-in-the-blank tweets, and loads of giveaways/contests.
Nordstrom (@nordstrom)
One of the more interactive merchants out there, if you plan on shopping at Nordstrom soon (or just got back from a shopping spree), definitely let them know! They just love asking what you bought, commenting on your purchases and generally talking with all their followers.
Old Navy (@oldnavy)
Old Navy puts out some really… odd commercials. Odd but fun. Their Twitter feed isn’t nearly as odd, but it’s definitely as much fun. There’s plenty of coupons, sales, giveaways and store info to go around but there’s also lots of wacky, interactive tweets to get followers involved.
Omaha Steaks (@OmahaSteaks)
The biggest problem with following Omaha Steaks on Twitter is that it’ll make you crazy hungry! You’ll find photos, sales, coupons and giveways, as well as support for their meat-loving, ever-grilling followers.
Origins (@Origins)
The Origins crew does a fantastic job of listening to its followers, offering helpful tips and suggestions to all sorts of natural beauty-related questions. They also share info on various free samples when available.
PetSmart (@PetSmart)
The Internet was invented solely for the purpose of sharing photos and videos of kittens and puppies. So how are you NOT following PetSmart on Twitter?!? It’s a non-stop pet party! While there isn’t much interaction with followers, you’ll get an overload of pet tips and cuteness.
Piperlime (@PiperlimeBrand)
Talk about friendly service! You can tell the people Tweeting at Piperlime really do love their followers since they spend most of the day chatting about their latest purchases. Piperlime’s also proactive in that they ask specific questions or “fill-in-the-blank” type tweets to keep the converstaion moving.
Radio Shack (@RadioShack)
Besides helpful information and great customer service, the duo handling the electronic retailer’s Twitter account regularly shares useful links and apps. You can also jump in on some great contests regularly for gift cards, T-shirts or electronics.
Sears (@Sears)
You’ll find a great mix of customer service, cool new products, store trivia and all-around fun links from the department store’s official Twitter account.
Sierra Trading Post (@sierratp)
The community tweeps behind Sierra Trading Post sure are jealous of their followers. Besides tweeting about the latest sales or deals, the STP gang engages its users who are sharing their outdoor adventures be it hiking, surfing or snowboarding.
Snapfish (@snapfishbyhp)
Users love sharing their photos, and Snapfish loves re-sharing (a.k.a. retweeting) them with all of their followers. They’re also quick to jump on any customer service issues you may have, and great at offering product suggestions tailored to your photos.
ThinkGeek (@Thinkgeek)
Strap yourself in for some highly entertaining posts from the monkey-filled HQ of this awesome pop culture-loving, geek-filled store. You can also expect random coupon codes, including some highly discounted ones like a $100 event. Best of all, no poo throwing.
Urban Outfitters (@urbanoutfitters)
Some nice fan interaction, along with a ton of great opinions and Instagram photos to show off the latest fashion trends from the fun folks at Urban Outfitters.
VitaminShoppe (@VitaminShoppe)
Some of the healthiest tweets come out of the VitaminShoppe account. Get tips on physical and mental health, as well as the latest news on exercise supplements, working out and losing weight. Nice interaction with their followers too!
The Walking Company (@thewalkingco)
Great conversation and customer service is complimented beautifully by inspirational tweets about walking, getting in shape and enjoying the outdoors.
Wet Seal (@wetseal)
The gang at Wet Seal taught us that “stressed” spelled backwards is “dessert,” so we’re hooked! Get coupon and sales info, inspirational tweets, fun facts and photos, and plenty of all-around great interaction.
Did we miss your favorite online store’s Twitter account?