E-commerce has evolved considerably since the early days of the late 1990’s. Today, online shopping is a daily activity for almost everyone. And, the growing influence of social media is playing a major role in the ongoing e-commerce evolution – particularly in how bloggers and online “experts” influence consumer purchases.

Many consumers read about new products and services on their favorite blogs or online sites and receive recommendations on what to buy from bloggers, subject matter experts or just regular people. For many consumers, these product recommendations are tremendously influential; they are often more willing to try a new product if it comes recommended from a source they trust. And, for retailers, these recommendations can make or break a new product debut – or help revitalize a dormant product.

So why haven’t retailers and brands formalized relationships with these influencers and found a way to reward them for their recommendations? Some forward-thinking brands already have good relationships with popular bloggers. For example, the Huggies brand has mutually beneficial relationships with highly-trafficked Mommy bloggers. But these relationships need to go a step further.

For example, if a salesperson in a bricks and mortar retail store gets a 15% commission when he/she sells a product, why can’t the blogger or online expert receive some sort of payment for their stellar recommendations – particularly when they drive a critical mass of online sales?

But wait – can this be done without tainting the blogger or recommender? No one wants to be seen as a shill for a particular brand or product. At the same time, there must be some way to offer fair compensation for those who sincerely recommend products/services – and drive tremendous online sales as a result.

Social media product recommendations continue to have a major impact on sales. Case in point: Kim Kardashian on Twitter. Last fall, she Tweeted about buying a particular navy blue sleeveless dress from Bebe — a popular retail chain that she admittedly shills for. 20 minutes after her Tweet was sent, Bebe sold 60,000 navy blue sleeveless dresses! They sold out of that particular dress nationwide in less than a half-hour. Now, that is the power of a social media recommendation!

Well, we don’t have to worry about Miss Kardashian getting compensated as she has a lucrative deal with Bebe. But what about the thousands of other bloggers and online experts? Many of whom could have moved just as many product units but without the fanfare – or the compensation.

I am very interested in the concept of rewarding bloggers and experts for their recommendations. Does anyone out there agree? If so, how do we make this happen?

Ben Arno, SVP, Engagement Management, Organic, Inc.