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The coronavirus pandemic has forever changed the way we live, do business, and make a purchase. Zoom is now a way of life, and so is online shopping. It explains why several DTC brands across sectors are booming as they combine online with virtual shopping experiences.
A decade ago, did you think a virtual showroom could replace a physical furniture showroom? Well, virtual shopping is our new reality, and smartphones are the new showrooms.
How can fast-growing DTC brands drive authentic customer engagement at each step of a customer’s journey, from the catalog to the cart? Offline shopping is about the physical touch, live feel of products, and support of the human shopping assistant. Can the online shopping experience be complete without the physical human touch?
Digital technology has provided the answer. Virtual shopping can now mimic the real-life (IRL) experience, thanks to Live Interactive Video Solutions. Earlier, these interactive videos were clickable ads that provided hyperlinks to purchase sites. Now, these shoppable videos take consumers straight from viewing to making a purchase at the click of a button. For example, if the consumer views a new brand range and wishes to buy an item, they do not have to leave the site. They can purchase while on the same site and go back to watching the video. Successful e-commerce is all about a seamless experience tailored to the customer’s needs and convenience.
Social media has made it possible for brands to engage with customers in real-time, turning it more authentic and human. Many brands use interactive live videos on Facebook and Instagram to connect with their audiences. Made-for-commerce interactive video solutions enable brands to use them for sales, marketing, and client retention. They give brands several ways to engage with customers.
As a brand, you can create “how-to” videos that customers love, compare different products in a video, give demos, and show what is useful. Further, you can make it fun and creative too!
Yes, Virtual Reality (VR) technology has made it possible to browse in an online store from your home using VR headsets. While it may still take a while to become the norm for online shopping, customers can access a virtual store through a mobile app or website. What’s more, a virtual store can be designed to look like a brick-and-mortar store.
Augmented Reality (AR) applications can also help simulate the personal experiences of your brick-and-mortar store. For instance, virtual fitting rooms, modeled with AR and VR technologies, provide the IRL experience while making it more fun and convenient. Shoppers want to see and feel the product, and they also long to try it. That is why they still prefer to shop for clothes at brick-and-mortar stores. However, AR and VR, now very much a part of the retail landscape, enable them to check virtual clothing on an avatar from the comfort of their home!
Today, technology allows you to recreate most of these IRL experiences. For example, through real-time access, customers can instantly connect with store assistants for live product advice through shoppable video calls, text, or chat. Online shopping is no longer a cold, unidimensional interface or a voiceless, faceless entity.
According to a report by DemandGen, the new-age customers are attuned to interactive video content on streaming platforms and expect marketers to engage with them in this format too.
Yes, mobile-friendly consumers want to engage and interact. They seek novel, personalized, real-time experiences. So, using well-made interactive videos is a marketing tool you can no longer ignore if you want to boost your lead generation.
Do you want to stay ahead of the curve and your competition? In that case, the typical e-commerce sites with a laundry list of products and photographs are a thing of the past. Online shoppers relate more to product videos than still photographs. With easy-to-use video editing software, you can display your product from various angles and create promotional videos for Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms.
An online shopping experience that involves the consumer is the key, starting from interactive live videos and chat features on your apps to giving customers direct access to in-store associates. However, does this mean the brick-and-mortar stores are disappearing? No, it’s time for an omnichannel retail approach. Retailers now have to straddle both the physical and digital platforms, so the consumer gets a seamless shopping experience across both channels.
Moreover, marketing is no longer about generalized advertisements but personalized connections with customers through text, email, or WhatsApp, even after the sale. The new-gen shoppers want sustainable practices and trustworthy connections.
New age technology is providing the opportunity to build connections and nurture relationships and brand loyalty. All of this will result in higher conversion rates, larger order values, decreased call times, and happier customers. So, stay in touch with your customers where they are most comfortable: on their smartphones!
Create your shoppable videos now. Do connect with us and sign up for Plaza!
