Even though it was only a short while ago, you might remember what it felt like to see ads for a product you really wanted, but could never actually find. The ad worked – but the onus was on the consumer to remember the company, remember exactly what caught their attention in the first place, then find the store. Even if you could do that, the specific product might be too deep in the website’s product lineup to locate. Generally speaking – the more work the consumer has to do, the more likely they are to give up.

Then came shoppable ads, frequented on Instagram and Pinterest where a consumer can click on the product they want then be transported to the exact product advertised. A shoppable video takes that idea a step further. 

Shoppable videos are interactive videos that allow the consumer to make a purchase directly from the content, no search necessary. 

The consumer has the ability to immediately purchase a product with a few clicks without ever leaving the video. Shoppable videos make it easier for the consumer to get exactly what they want – when they want it. Advertising may never look the same again. 

3 Shoppable Video Examples

Creators can make an unlimited number of different videos. As such, there are countless paths for shoppable videos to take shape.

1. Outdoor Voices

Here’s a video from Outdoor Voices, a very popular fitness clothing brand amongst Gen Z. Shoppable video is a huge tool for them. Customers can watch someone move and live in their product. After all, if their social media slogan is #DoingThings. When the consumer likes how it looks, they can purchase directly from the video. 

Shoppable videos on Instagram still have some catching up to do – you can only shop the videos on the app itself. The desktop version does not support shoppable video at this time and it’s limited to a single platform. 

2. Live Concert Shoppable Video: 

What better way to convince someone to see their favorite band than putting a ticket link in the video they’re watching? Nothing drives people crazier than hearing an ad interrupt their music. With AiBUYs shoppable video platform they don’t even have to stop listening to the song to purchase!

Any promotional video for a live event can become shoppable. It gives the consumer a taste of what they’d be experiencing while making it easier to buy. 

3. Ted Baker Short Film Shoppable Video:

Advertising, especially video, has the opportunity to take on a short film quality. Ted Baker presents a cinematic experience that’s entirely shoppable.

Click here to see the video

This video gives the customer opportunities to purchase the product being shown – but equally important, the consumer can become fully immersed in the product experience. Such a video enhances the entire shopping experience – each step of the way. 

Opportunities for Brands

The migration to online shopping and away from physical stores has changed the way brands interact with customers. Brands now have the opportunity to interact directly with their consumers, and shoppable videos/interactive ads take that opportunity even further. Shoppable video shortens the distance between what a customer likes and how they can buy what they like. 

This is revolutionary in the age where so many brands are looking to bridge the gap between themselves and their audience. Take Shopify for example. Any Shopify seller can use AiBUY’s technology to create a shoppable video that links directly to their shop. No need for the consumer to fish through link after link to find what they want. 

Shoppable videos may one day go further, redefining what product placement looks like in film and T.V. A study from the Interactive Advertising Bureau found that these shoppable ads and videos work, stating that “consumers like ads that allow them to shop for the product and offer the convenience of purchasing directly from an ad.”  It’s not rocket science to prove that consumers appreciate convenience. 

No more middle-man. If they see it, they can buy it.