Shoppable Videos: The New Frontier of On-Demand Shopping

The ecommerce revolution has forever changed the way consumers shop and what they expect their shopping experience to be like. However, even in the fast-paced world of on-demand shopping, there are certain intangibles that cannot be overlooked.From engagement to immersiveness, it all adds up to determine the overall user journey for consumers, often becoming the make-or-break differentiators.As video commerce takes off, shoppable videos have emerged as the preferred way for brands and marketers to harness the power of these intangibles.

An “always on” digital storefront

Since the beginning, one of ecommerce’s biggest advantages over traditional brick-and-mortar locations is 24/7 access for consumers. However, this anytime-access benefit does come with its downsides.For starters, customers do not get the same shopping experience online that they would get from a physical store location. Just because someone is browsing for products at 2 A.M. does not mean they will necessarily make a purchase.

The in-store experience goes a long way towards convincing the consumer to buy a product or service. While ecommerce cannot fully replicate the experience a physical store offers, brands can take steps to ensure that the digital storefront experience is as immersive as possible.

This is where shoppable video shines.Many brands already do a stellar job of leveraging live video, but live video events are constrained by time. Shoppable videos on the other hand are always present on the website, offering an immersive on-demand shopping experience that no other format can offer.

Closing the gap between discovery and purchase

Once a prospective customer discovers a product, the next step is to provide as much information as possible, without overwhelming the user.As much as product descriptions are helpful on the relevant pages, very few customers actually bother to read through it all. They are more likely to glance through the images and form an opinion on what they have seen rather than what they have read. Of course, this presents a big problem, especially for industries like fashion where images do nothing to inform customers about the finer nuances, like fit and feel.Shoppable videos allow brands to provide consumers with all the information they seek, and do so in an engaging and entertaining manner. We are now in an age where consumers expect to be entertained across all their digital experiences, and the same is true for online shopping as well.

Shoppable videos leverage “shoppertainment” to inform, educate, and entertain users simultaneously, thus cutting down the consideration period between discovery, intent, and purchase.

Enhanced customer engagement and experience

It is impossible to build trust and loyalty with consumers if a brand cannot engage with them. Video has always been a format that websites can count on to drive engagement. Shoppable videos take it a step further.Younger consumers, like Gen Z, crave authenticity. And this applies to their shopping habits as well. Shoppable videos offer brands a unique route to engage young consumers in a way that puts brand identity and authenticity front-and-center.

A spotlight on Angela Caglia

Celebrity esthetician and skincare guru Angela Caglia has successfully leveraged Firework’s shoppable videos to provide website visitors with authentic content.By having herself - the founder - as the face of the videos, Angela Caglia instantly establishes a human and authentic connection with website users. Moreover, the shoppable videos feature content ranging from product explainers to how-to guides - engaging content that the modern consumer expects.

Improved browsing thanks to interactive elements

Instead of seeing static images or reading descriptions, website audiences can watch a product in action thanks to shoppable videos. The resultant interactive browsing experience gives customers a far better understanding of the product's features and benefits; more than a paragraph of text and few images ever could.The interactive elements within shoppable video also encourages consumers to stick around for longer and learn more about the product. While average time spent on site is a good statistic to track, this goes beyond mere metrics.

Every additional second spent on the video by a consumer is another second a brand has successfully spent convincing them to make a purchase.

With the right interactive elements in place, users can not only learn more about products, but also build their carts and move to related products seamlessly.

Recommendations that are, and feel, more personalized

In the age of user data privacy, first-party data is king. Shoppable videos are not only great for collecting first-party data but also for leveraging this data to hyper-personalize product recommendations.The interactive elements within a shopping video that contribute to how engaging it is can also be harnessed to deliver recommendations. Moreover, this allows customers to build and customize their own user journeys, set within the parameters of the recommendations that the algorithms deem best.This is a level of personalization and engagement that no other ecommerce format can offer. And with generative AI on the cusp of being integrated with product recommendation tools, among other opportunities for the retail sector, shoppable videos will become the ultimate on-demand shopping experience that folds in a personalized experience seamlessly.

Seamless checkout experiences that drive conversion

Integrated checkout systems allow customers to build their cart and make purchases without leaving the video player. Beyond just boosting metrics like time spent on site, shoppable videos make practical use of a captive audience to boost what truly matters: conversion rates and average order values.The streamlined shopping experience also bodes well for customer satisfaction and helps build brand loyalty. A seamless checkout experience from shopping videos also gives customers greater confidence to make purchases during livestream events.

Instant Checkout as deployed in Angela Caglia's shoppable videos. Firework’s Instant Checkout solution lets customers complete the entire purchasing process from within the video player. This helps eliminate consideration time and also drastically reduces cart abandonment.

Mass adoption already underway

As more industries recognize the potential of shoppable videos, customers too are getting increasingly used to shoppable videos as their digital storefront of choice.Firework is already working with partners across industries - especially fashion, beauty and wellness, as well as F&B - ensuring that their online retail businesses are making the most of everything that shoppable videos have to offer.In a video and mobile-first world, shoppable videos are all set to become the de facto way to shop.