November 5, 2021

What Are Shoppable Videos and Why Are They So Effective?

Technology is fast changing the way we shop, and brands continue to seek out innovative methods to increase sales via digital channels. While online marketing has always been an integral part of sales, the emergence of the 2020 pandemic has made this virtual platform even more sought after. With shoppers unable or reluctant to patronize physical establishments, many have eagerly turned to online shopping as a means of filling the void.


The quest to better facilitate the online buying process has led to the rise of shoppable videos—interactive ads that are tagged with clickable overlays that allow the viewer to access additional details or make purchases directly from the video itself. Such videos are prized for revolutionizing the online shopping scene for both consumers and sellers alike, boasting a whopping conversion rate of 90% which is why more businesses are hiring expert Singapore video production companies like En3 to produce these shoppable videos. From enriching customer experience to boosting conversion rates, here’s the answer to why shoppable videos work as well as they do.

Convenience 

Taking into account their professional and personal lives, the average consumer has enough worries navigating the complexities of life, so the last thing they want is for their retail therapy session to be bogged down by tedious purchasing systems. Shoppable videos are a welcomed replacement to the dated act of browsing through an entire website for more information. Products are presented for easy visual perusal. 


For clothing, shoppers get to view the item on a model, gain inspiration for possible outfit pairings, scope out its pricing and confirm their purchase all on the same platform. Kate Spade’s video conveniently displays an aesthetic breakdown of buyable accessories featured in its ad, letting you multitask by watching the video and scrolling through its products all in the same window.

Simplicity 

Minimalism is all the rage in contemporary branding and aesthetics, and this also extends to the buying process. Confusing web designs that require shoppers to exercise additional brain power navigating their convoluted user interface cause consumers to become quickly annoyed, choosing to migrate to other retailers hosting more user-friendly platforms. With shoppable videos, this is rarely a problem. You can never go wrong with a classic “Add to Cart” function that allows buyers to carry out their purchase with just a single click.

Timing

The notorious attention span of internet users is not at all exaggerated. A modern shopper has fleeting wants that are easily sparked. The bad news? They burn out fast. Hence, it is crucial for retailers to usher consumers further down the consumer funnel while the hype is still fresh, and the desire is the strongest. Immediacy is key if you want to take advantage of the need for instant gratification; don’t expect people to stick around if your web store is riddled with lengthy descriptions and countless consecutive links that need to be clicked on to progress to the next stage of completing a purchase. 


Shoppable videos nip this issue in the bud, fronting the act of buying in the marketing campaign itself, rather than relying on the initiative of viewers to source out the product themselves. Ralph Lauren’s 2020 Force of Nature collection strived to seal the deal right away, embedding a video on its landing page featuring pop ups of product descriptions and images, as well as options to add to cart directly.


Engaging

Constantly scrolling through static imagery can get old real fast. Introducing shoppable videos into the mix helps break up the monotony and puts users in a more suitable mood for making purchases. Products are brought to life in video form, inviting viewers to actively interact with them instead of just passively viewing. This prolongs engagement time, giving you a larger window of opportunity to convince people to make the buy. If recreating the physical experience is your goal, there is a whole range of AR technology and applications at your disposal, enabling consumers to enter a virtual showroom and tap on items of interest.


Novelty

Compared to other traditional marketing video techniques, shoppable videos are still relatively new on the market. People are widely receptive to this fresh format, providing a relief from stuffy and outdated methods of online retail. Apart from riding this wildly successful wave, turning your videos into a shoppable experience is also a fun and memorable way to reinvent your brand and keep its name up-to-date. 


Ted Baker went a step further in creating an artistic short film, offering a marketing campaign that also served as enjoyable entertainment. Showcasing close-ups of featured clothing and accessories with a “plus” icon prompting further details, Mission Impeccable video not only raised sales margins but also shaped the brand’s sleek and classy image.

Sharing

Staying true to the whole “convenient” element, shoppable videos neatly pack every aspect of browsing and buying into a compact and efficient creation. Suppose you come across something that you think would be of interest to a friend, you no longer need to open up your search engine browser to source for relevant links—simply click on the share button and a complete package of information is instantly sent over. 


Some interesting examples include Burberry’s reinvented runway shows. The luxury brand hosted shows in London and Paris that incorporated shoppable elements into their livestreams. While enjoying the show, online viewers were able to open an in-video tab that offered “Explore Look” and “Share” options. Users spread awareness of the brand in real time, saving interested buyers from having to take screenshots or clumsily attempt to reiterate product details.


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