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Marketers have long known that consumers vary widely in terms of their influence over others, but today’s social networks are making those differences plain for all to see. Aiming to zero in on the shoppers with the widest social clout, Volga Verdi is a California-based fashion brand that offers its customers discounts depending on the number of friends, followers or fans they have on popular social networks. To participate in Volga Verdi’s Exchange program, shoppers begin by referring to a chart on the site listing the size of the discount it offers for the number of friends or followers they have on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, tumblr, Kohtakte or Lookbook.nu. Twitter users, for example, get a discount of USD 7 if they have between 20 and 200 followers, or USD 15 if they have more. To get the discount, they must follow Volga Verdi on Twitter, tweet a prespecified message about the brand, and then email Volga Verdi to confirm they have taken part. Those on other social networks would need to perform similar actions tailored to the social network they are using. Volga Verdi then proceeds to issue a unique voucher code for the corresponding discount. We’ve already seen sites that “sell” online content for just a tweet or a Facebook mention — namely, Pay with a Tweet and Social Whispers — but offering discounts based on the shopper’s social clout takes such efforts onto new ground. Other retailers around the globe: how about you?