The rise of the Videocommerce trend for 2021

Ecommerce is developing so fast that many retailers are struggling to keep up: with more people than ever choosing to stay home, they want both their essential and non-essential goods delivered to their front door, and they want to order them from the comfort of their sofa! Throughout 2020 Ecommerce has evolved to the point where you don’t even have to log on to your computer or phone to order your essentials: you can just ask Alexa to do it for you! Approximately 20% of smart speaker owners currently use them for shopping-related activities, and that figure is expected to grow to 54% over the next four years.

As 2021 approaches, a new trend is emerging, an this is one that is forecast to explode in 2021: Videocommerce. Videocommerce can be adapted to serve a wide range of purposes, from enabling you to virtually try on a new dress to teaching you how to play roulette online. Here’s everything you need to know about videocommerce, and how eccomerce companies will be choosing to adapt it:

What is Videocommerce?

Video Commerce is the practice of using video content to promote and sell commercial products or services both on the Internet, and via broadcast media. At its most simple level, videocommerce involves creating shoppable video ads that can be shared across social media, particularly Instagram, where these kinds of ads are becoming increasingly popular. At its most complex and innovative, videocommerce involves shoppable broadcast television adverts, and ultimately, even shoppable products within your favourite television shows. Have you ever been watching your favourite TV show and wondered where the leading lady got her shoes? This latest innovation in videocommerce will enable you to find the brand, and the website selling them, then order them and have the shoes delivered straight to your door in just a few clicks.

And this technology doesn’t just apply to products but services too. A videocommerce advert to get your car MOT’ed could be followed with a clickable link to book your MOT appointment. An advert for an online casino could be clicked to take you straight to the casino in question: You could even see an advert for your favourite restaurant and then order your dinner. The possibilities are endless!

As well as being used to sell products and services, videocommerce has instructional benefits too. Many online casinos, for example, are now utilising videocommerce to enrich their user experience in the form of instructional guides. By watching an interactive how-to-play guide, users will be better able to understand the game and enjoy their gaming experience, ultimately making it more likely that they will return, and become valuable and loyal visitors. This is something that could be adopted and applied across several sectors. 

Ways to Use Videocommerce Now

One of the simplest ways to introduce video commerce to your business now is to include videos of your products on the product pages of your website, alongside the traditional photographs. This will enable the consumer to see the product from all angles and make a more rounded decision about whether it is right for them. This will not only increase buyer confidence, but also reduce the number of product returns you have to deal with, as the consumer is less likely to return a product they have seen in three dimensions before they purchase it.

With video clearly the latest evolution in the ecommerce market, it makes sense to ensure that your website is ready and capable of handling this, so that you do not get left behind. Building relationships with social media users and influencers, and sharing shoppable video advertising via your social media channels is also a wise move, if you want to move with the times and progress your business in the videocommerce arena.

It’s easy, it’s convenient, and it’s fun: the technology is also familiar to the end user, and therefore their confidence in using and accessing it is already in place. For this reason, videocommerce may only be in its infancy now, but we forecast that it is a trend that will skyrocket throughout 2021 and beyond.