Field Evaluation: Video Usage On eCommerce Sites

In Field Evaluation , Practical eCommerce questions many ecommerce merchants about a given subject. This month's subject is online movie, a strong but not widely used type of marketing that is driven by mixed motives in concept and diverse results in practice.

Video FAQ's and product presentations can be a conversion-boosters for many merchants, while others might benefit more from social media-driven viral marketing campaigns, a la "Messin' With Sasquatch," Can it Blend, or Victoriassecret.com's fashion show that attracts millions of viewers--many of whom become lingerie and clothes clients.

Video is also used for"About Us" profiles or client testimonials, and Flash animations and interactive, animated salespeople could offer a website with interesting and exceptional navigation.

But merchandising and advertising videos are also daunting. What type of equipment is necessary? Will there be bandwidth or website design challenges? What if the movie's really distract a customer? And just how much does it cost to implement?

With these types of worries and some excitement about the arrangement, we challenged several merchants about online video, asking them to reply with as much honesty and candor as possible. Their answers may represent a snapshot of how video is perceived now.

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Jeff Robe of Blendtec.com that sells top notch blenders for home and industrial use.

PeC: Can you use video in your ecommerce website? Why or why not?

Robe: We use it in a number of ways. We've got a website named willitblend.com, where we reveal our CEO mixing up all kinds of crazy things. We have blended about 75 items you do not put in a blender. It shows the ability of our blender. It's been amazingly common. We get anywhere from 200,000 to million and a half perspectives once the videos are released. We now have about 75. Frankly, anyone that was involved with the project didn't expect it to be as powerful as it's become. It has gone far beyond our wildest dreams. The idea was to try to get people involved with the gear.

Another way we utilize video is educational. We reveal how to make smoothies, peanut butter, and soup. Showing the blender's capacity in movie format is extremely important to help customers understand why our system is exceptional.

PeC: Describe how you believe video may either help or harm an ecommerce website.

Robe: For starters, you are always trying to think of something new and relevant for people to watch. It has been two years since we began this, and sometimes you must return to the drawing board. As soon as the iPhone 3G came out, one. We try to think of fresh content. We had a movie producer on team with Hollywood experience. He had a broad background and many different knowledge we can tap into. We had that source already in-house, so we had a large advantage.

PeC: Inform us about any positive online video experiences you have had.

Robe: I am always looking at manufacturer's websites. I had been looking at Mazda. It's a really sophisticated website with a excellent use of video in addition to still imagery, allowing the viewer to essentially get a virtual tour of the new vehicle. That happens to be one I recall that struck me lately.

PeC: Describe how you may use video on your website later on.

Robe: We are in the process of revamping our website and adding more Flash components to it. It's very static at this time, so we're adding more Flash to the main page and the product pages. We are adding additional videos, in addition to 360-degree seeing videos where you are able to observe the blender from each angle. We are also adding information for consumers and business dealers. We want our website to be a tool for them to use in selling our product.

Kristen Taylor of Juvieshop.com, an children's apparel and gift shop with about 2,800 visitors each week.

PeC: Can you use video in your ecommerce website? Why or why not?

Taylor: No. Apparel doesn't lend itself quite well to video product presentations. Apparel turns over very quickly. Designers send new product two to 12 times annually. Even if we were to incorporate some type of modeling or fashion show videos, it would not be sensible for us to create these quickly enough to keep them clean.

PeC: Describe how you believe video may either help or harm an ecommerce website.

Taylor: A humorous, unique or super cute video always has a chance of hitting it big on YouTube and with bloggers. This can drive a great deal of traffic, but you've got to bear in mind how qualified that traffic is and whether it converts before you spend a whole lot of money and time into movie production. I am reminded of this super-popular"Elf Yourself" video and application. Do you think it really drove holiday sales? Then again, all those inbound links are worth a lot.

PeC: Describe how you may use video on your website later on.

Taylor: we're contemplating doing vlog attributes on the shop's blog. These could be owner reports and updates on the latest trends at market, workers talking about their favorite new products as well as clients modeling their picks. We could also incorporate manufacturer-provided demonstration videos of active gift items.

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Mike Feiman of Pooldawg.com, an internet retailer of pool cues, billiards accessories, dart supplies, and poker paraphernalia.

PeC: Can you use video in your ecommerce website? Why or why not?

Feiman: We don't currently use video on the website. However, it's something which we're exploring. It simply has not been high enough on our priority list to proceed with movie projects.

PeC: Describe how you believe video may either help or harm an ecommerce website.

Feiman: For us, video could be extremely beneficial from an educational standpoint. From a product perspective, but the usefulness of movie would be restricted.

PeC: Describe how you may use video on your website later on.

Feiman: We are trying to use video primarily for instructional and educational purposes.

Kara English of Candlesandsuch.com, which sells personalized gifts and party favors to as many as 20,000 weekly visitors.

PeC: Can you use video in your ecommerce website? Why or why not?

English: We don't currently use video on the site because we just have not decided to do it yet.

PeC: Describe how you believe video may either help or harm an ecommerce website.

English: I believe video can help a ecommerce shop since it presents the chance to actually connect with the client. Sometimes it's better to get a client to see how something works to have read through all of the text.

PeC: Describe how you may use video on your website later on.

English: we'd like to use video in the future to provide our clients some thoughts on different things you can do with our products.

Claudette Cyr of Gearsource.com, a professional lighting, audio, and amusement equipment purveyor with over 10,000 weekly visitors.

PeC: Can you use video in your ecommerce website? Why or why not?

Cyr: We do not now, but we're working on a video at the moment.

PeC: Describe how you believe video may either help or harm an ecommerce website.

Cyr: We believe it would help in an assortment of approaches to assist users in completing specific tasks. On the negative side, unsolicited video is annoying and intrusive. Our belief is that brief two-or three-second Flash clips for very special purposes are OK. Otherwise, all video ought to be user-initiated, not automatic.

PeC: Describe how you may use video on your website later on.

Cyr: Supplying step-by-step instructions about how best to use various regions of the website, product presentations, and show or concert footage.

David Norris of Houseofantiquehardware.com, which sells quality reproductions of period house hardware in the 1800s through the 1930s for home renovators or new building and gets 45,000 weekly traffic.

PeC: Can you use video in your ecommerce website? Why or why not?

Norris: At this time, mostly because of the cost of entry and the erratic ROI.

PeC: Describe how you believe video may either help or harm an ecommerce website.

Norris: It actually depends on the application. A video may be a excellent way to show additional information or functions of a complex or high-ticket product. The huge bulk of the time spent watching online videos fall beneath the entertainment category. If you can not make it entertaining, do not expect much success. Like all things in Web 2.0, begin with a small investment.

PeC: Inform us about any positive online video experiences you have had.

Norris: I love sites like Crooksandliars.com that expose the lies of politicians caught on tape. The ideal use of video is in creating accountability and bypassing the corporate-owned media giants.

PeC: Describe how you may use video on your website later on.

Norris: we've considered creating educational videos on how best to set up our products or a 360-degree perspective of things. We could always get lucky and make a favorite viral video, too.

Chris Stump of Onlyhammocks.com, which--not surprisingly--sells hammocks, hammock chairs, stands and accessories and has as many as 1,400 visitors every week.

PeC: Can you use video in your ecommerce website? Why or why not?

Stump: We've not used video on the website. However, we do plan on using it later on.

PeC: Describe how you believe video may either help or harm an ecommerce website.

Stump: Video is a terrific marketing tool and much better for providing product demos. The use of video might assist with conversion rates but even more so for getting visitors to your website.

PeC: Describe how you may use video on your website later on.

Stump: we'd mostly use online videos for product tutorials and as a viral marketing tool to submit to your social media websites.

Mike Butler of garden and plant product merchant, Bloomindesigns.com, which gets 7,000 to 10,000 visitors weekly.

PeC: Can you use video in your ecommerce website? Why or why not?

Butler: No. Most products show best with pictures. Hosting capacity is also an issue, and some people have phobias about downloading movie because of memory concerns.

PeC: Describe how you believe video may either help or harm an ecommerce website.

Butler: it's beneficial in describing many goods, if the client's interest could be held.

PeC: Inform us about some positive online video experiences you have had.

Butler: My experience is limited to a training and YouTube.

PeC: Describe how you may use video on your website later on.

Butler: Demos, tours and education. These how-to videos should probably be no longer than 15 long.

Editors Note: Interested in being one of our field testers? Use the Contact Us type or the comments section below to tell us why you would be great.


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