http://blog.shop.org/2009/08/07/consumer-use-of-online-video-for-shopping/ This blog is for the members of Shop.org Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:21:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://blog.shop.org/2009/08/07/consumer-use-of-online-video-for-shopping/comment-page-1/#comment-207659 Justin Foster Sat, 08 Aug 2009 18:13:44 +0000 http://blog.shop.org/?p=1927#comment-207659 Video is a great way to showcase products as they appear 'in real life,' or explain a product's features and benefits in a way that's more intimate and personal than when using text or imagery alone. Having said, many online retailers, even those committed to online video, struggle to use it effectively. Big challenges remain, and among the largest are costs of production, uncertainty about the balance between information, promotion, and entertainment, lack of experience producing video for retail, lack of manufacturer video content that can actually be used and repurposed on a retail site, and entrenched organizational channel management issues that make it difficult for a retailer to feel the full impact of video across channels. One site your readers might be interested in is CommerceVideos.com, a blog where we profile the online video initiatives of leading retailers. So far, we've covered Cabela's, Buy.com, B&H Photo/Video, JC Penney, the Video Commerce Consortium (www.video-commerce.org) which focuses more on online retail video beat practices, and www.videoretailer.org, which looks more at technology issues and industry players and events. In terms of retailers implementing video effectively, certain names crop up to the top of the list repeatedly: Buy.com, CompUSA, ShopNBC, QVC, HSN, ShopNBC. Improvement Direct has a sizable video program across its channels. drugstore.com has sourced hundreds of manufacturer videos to rapidly grow their video program across channels at very low cost. OnlineShoes.com is another leader, as is eBags. From more of an entertainment angle, Borders Books & Music and Barnes & Noble have devoted sizable resources to video, while Ice.com is an example I cite frequently as a retailer that's mastered the production process to crank out a lot of high quality videos quickly, at low cost. Ross-Simons has used video as a tool to decrease returns, while many other retailers are focusing on video as a conversion enhancing tool. Last November, I released a whitepaper on behalf of the Video Commerce Consortium, "Building an Effective Video Commerce Strategy." People can download it here if there's interest. http://video-commerce.org/2008/new-whitepaper-building-an-effective-video-commerce-strategy/ Video is a great way to showcase products as they appear ‘in real life,’ or explain a product’s features and benefits in a way that’s more intimate and personal than when using text or imagery alone. Having said, many online retailers, even those committed to online video, struggle to use it effectively. Big challenges remain, and among the largest are costs of production, uncertainty about the balance between information, promotion, and entertainment, lack of experience producing video for retail, lack of manufacturer video content that can actually be used and repurposed on a retail site, and entrenched organizational channel management issues that make it difficult for a retailer to feel the full impact of video across channels. One site your readers might be interested in is CommerceVideos.com, a blog where we profile the online video initiatives of leading retailers. So far, we’ve covered Cabela’s, Buy.com, B&H Photo/Video, JC Penney, the Video Commerce Consortium (www.video-commerce.org) which focuses more on online retail video beat practices, and http://www.videoretailer.org, which looks more at technology issues and industry players and events. In terms of retailers implementing video effectively, certain names crop up to the top of the list repeatedly: Buy.com, CompUSA, ShopNBC, QVC, HSN, ShopNBC. Improvement Direct has a sizable video program across its channels. drugstore.com has sourced hundreds of manufacturer videos to rapidly grow their video program across channels at very low cost. OnlineShoes.com is another leader, as is eBags. From more of an entertainment angle, Borders Books & Music and Barnes & Noble have devoted sizable resources to video, while Ice.com is an example I cite frequently as a retailer that’s mastered the production process to crank out a lot of high quality videos quickly, at low cost. Ross-Simons has used video as a tool to decrease returns, while many other retailers are focusing on video as a conversion enhancing tool. Last November, I released a whitepaper on behalf of the Video Commerce Consortium, “Building an Effective Video Commerce Strategy.” People can download it here if there’s interest. http://video-commerce.org/2008/new-whitepaper-building-an-effective-video-commerce-strategy/

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