The rise of shoppable videos has fundamentally changed how people shop, especially popular with Gen Z and Millennials who want a more engaging and interactive online shopping experience, according to commercetools territory director for Asia Pacific, Joshua Emblin.
“Brands that do not add value to their customer’s shopping experience are no longer popular with the new-gen customers,” he told Retailbiz in a recent interview.
“The short and entertaining format ensures greater engagement and information retention, while increasing add-to-cart rates by closing the gap between the point of inspiration and the point of purchase.
“Interactive video has a greater impact on customers than text and image-based campaigns, while giving new retailers an early advantage over competitors as it is still a relatively recent and evolving trend.”
When asked about the evolving role of video in the coming years, Emblin believes live stream video shopping will become mainstream as more brands implement this channel.
“Video technology for e-commerce will transform the shopping experience with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) leading the way. User Generated Content and Brand Owned Content, enable driving traffic, make consistent shopping easier for consumers as they scroll through their feeds and create a loyal customer base,” he said.
Emblin’s advice to brands is to have a mobile-first strategy, with Google research showing that 91% of Australians have a mobile device or smartphone and shop online via their device.
“Gen Z sees social media as a field for self-expression, gravitating towards Instagram and TikTok. Branded AR filters on Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat are an effective way to increase interaction and boost engagement with Gen Z,” he said.
“AR try-ons are another powerful tool that allow customers to virtually try on any product through a dedicated AR-powered app.”