For many marketing experts, social media, especially networking giant Facebook, has been essential in store operations and the formulation of effective advertising campaigns.

However, a recent survey from Baynote reveals that Facebook may not be as influential as previously thought. It found that only one in five consumers made a purchasing decision based on information they received on the social network.

The survey, which questioned 1,032 U.S. shoppers, reported that online sources such as search engines and email were found to be more influential than social media or commerce websites.

Part of the reason email may have been reported as a more important factor in decision-making could be the growing popularity of coupons, which whether delivered via email, direct mail or search engines were found to be more popular than daily deal websites or social networks.

Accordingly, a recent survey from Responsys reported that retailer promotional email campaigns to subscribers reached an all-time high in 2011.