The January issue of Internet Retailer has a great article by Bill Siwicki about how online retailers are blending video and ecommerce – and doing so quite easily.
According to Mr. Siwicki, “The majority of e-retailers do not have the resources to create an online TV network. But as merchants like Netflix, Ice.com, Bodybuilding.com and others are demonstrating, there are many simpler and less expensive ways Internet retailers can use online video on-site and on video-sharing sites and reap diverse rewards.”
Creating and deploying online video is no longer much of a challenge, says consultant Heneghan of Elevation. “For many of the things e-retailers can do, all you have to do is just connect a video camera to a computer and off you go. I mean, people are doing this every day at home with movies of their babies and then posting them on YouTube.â€
As for the use of online video in e-retailing, one might say it’s a baby movie itself. “As far as its evolution goes, online video still is in its infancy,†says American Eagle Outfitters’ Savitt. “For us, having measured the click-throughs and conversions of our online video effort, so far we have seen good returns. Ultimately, online video is a significant part of Internet users’ online experiences and there is so much opportunity for retailers.â€
Rosalind's Comment: And there is so much opportunity for affiliate marketers!
Read the rest of the article by signing up for your free issue of Internet Retailer here. BTW, Don’t be put off by the name & address form… it’s worth the bit of time it’ll take to fill out.
And to learn more about how to make your own videos for the web, check out Jim Edwards and Mike Stewart's “Web Video Secrets” course.