Online sales are surging this season, and retailers are using social media and innovative marketing to maintain the momentum. Video, especially, has become an effective way for online retailers to engage consumers, successfully integrating ecommerce, entertainment, and information into the online buying experience.
At the end of November, Zappos rolled out a set of interactive product videos done in conjunction with Overlay.tv and Nike. The videos are clickable—if the viewer mouses over a shoe, it becomes highlighted to let them know that the item is capable of being clicked—and upon clicking, the viewer will see a detail page within the media player, as the video continues rolling. The detail page also includes a “Get It!” button, which allows the consumer to effortlessly move from the video to the shopping cart. The videos are also sharable, and viewers can post them to Facebook and Twitter while the clip continues to roll.
The interactive videos on Zappos.com change the traditional product landing page from static images, reviews, and product specs to an interactive, dynamic experience, and it has proven successful. The videos have a sales impact of 6 to 30%, and Zappos is looking to increase to 50,000 videos on the site in 2010 (they have about 8,000 currently).
Not surprisingly, many online retailers are following suit. In highlighting their Hot 100 Retail Websites of 2009, Internet Retailer shows that video is becoming an increasingly effective sales tool, with reports from merchants like Shoeline.com boosting conversion rates on products featured in videos by 40%, or PetsUnited, reporting a 50% increase in conversion on 1,200 products that they’ve featured in videos.
We all know that the act of buying online will never replace the social experience of the brick and mortar, where you can shop with friends, get advice from store associates, and physically examine and experience products. But video, done in the right way, can turn online shopping into a social, dynamic experience, where the consumer is able to truly visualize the product, see it in action, and share that experience with friends.
Have you shopped with an online retailer that includes product videos? Have product videos changed your online shopping experience?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I can’t say an online video has changed my buying habits yet, but I will say I have seen many more of them lately. Seeing the product in live, 3D, visuals is always going to be better than a 2D picture version.
Pete,
I also haven’t personally purchased an item due to a video I saw that was produced by the retailer or manufacturer, but I have been persuaded by video reviews on sites such as CNET or Consumer Reports, and Youtube holds a plethora of user reviews for various items. I absolutely agree that the 3D action and movement of an item via video is key in converting the consumer, but it still doesn’t (and won’t, for me) replace the physical buying experience. Thanks for your comment.