Video shopping has evolved across three stages, with the most immersive being connected video commerce. Where do you find yourself among the three stages?
Early Stage Video Shopping Software
This involves linking video with appointments. The customer can book a virtual call with a Sales Assistant via Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or similar video software.
Appointments were made either via manual request or by setting up an appointment booking system where customers can self-serve. Super prevalent during lockdowns, this utilised retail talent to keep relationships with customers and provide the personalisation usually experienced in a store. Direct sales were likely not tracked, and an element of preplanning is required to keep customers engaged.
Pros:
Quick and easy to set up
More people are confident using the above software (Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp)
Cons:
No selling tools
No data tracking
Sales Assistants have to reply on physical products in-store
If working from home, there is little to no visual merchandise
The customer has to install software
Live Engagement Video Shopping Software
Live engagement video commerce involves widgets popping up and intervening in the customer experience. This appears on a product or collection page; in the same way, a chat window pops up at key points in the customer journey.
The advantage of this approach is that the same personalised experience can be given instantly at key pain points in the customer journey, and typically, sales can be tracked.
The customer no longer needs to rely on installing software, the live video is part of the website experience. The personalised experience is limited by the amount of products available to retail experts, and customers often fall back into a self-service on a website to discover new products and complete a purchase.
Pros:
More native experience
Can be initiated at touchpoints
Offers walk-in appointments, good for increase in website traffic
Calls can be tracked
The customer doesn’t have to install software
Cons:
No selling tools
Sales Assistants have to reply on physical products in-store
If working from home, there is little to no visual merchandise
No product immersion
Unable to personalise the experience inside the call
Connected Video Commerce
The step up from live engagement video is connected video commerce – where the video call connects directly with the eCommerce engine. It makes every product inside the video shoppable, in addition to the retail expert having access to the entire eCommerce inventory.
This new immersive experience allows the call to flow more freely. Customer needs can continuously be addressed and met while personalising the experience to a whole new level.
Connected video commerce combines the power of appointment booking systems to unify the entire customer call in one experience. The management of ongoing customer relationships is particularly key when handling high-consideration items that require time, patience and understanding. Therefore, coupling video commerce engagement and appointment booking systems allow retailers to leverage the personalisation power of CRM.
Pros:
Connects to your eCommerce engine, giving access to the entire product inventory
Sales Assistants can support sales with tools such as Alternatives and Add Ons to increase basket size
Offers live reporting
The customer doesn’t have to install software
Can be initiated at touchpoints
Scalable technology enables teams to offer the same shopfloor experience at home or in a contact centre
Cons:
New technology requires staff training
Customers more unfamiliar with connected commerce
What Connected Video Commerce Looks Like
Unlock the Potential with Live Video Shopping
5 Tips to Maximise Customer Engagement
Using Zoom for Retail Appointments? Read this article!