7 Shoppable Video Platforms

How do you engage customers when in-store shopping is in many places all but obsolete? One solution that brand retailers around the country have been digging into this year is shoppable video. Using recorded and live video streams, brands have been able to capitalize on the shift toward mobile video and give customers direct links to buy their products online.

Although the market itself is still evolving, early surveys paint an optimistic picture on the future of shoppable video. Viewers are 66% more engaged when they watch interactive videos compared to traditional video, and studies have shown that interactivity results in 3x to 4x greater viewer conversion rates.

Consumers still show a strong preference toward watching video on social platforms, like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, so most retailers will want to promote their shoppable videos through those platforms. But from a technology standpoint, brands are faring better when they use standalone solutions to deploy video for engagement and product offerings. Those shoppable videos can then be repurposed for social media or for use on a brand’s own e-commerce site.

Here are seven examples of shoppable video platforms that brands are using right now.

1. HapYak
The HapYak enterprise interactive video platform is used by brands to create interactive video experiences and shoppable e-commerce stories. HapYak is made for professional brands. It’s found a way to monetize brand interactions by creating “shoppable narratives” and interactive product pages that brands can embed in online videos. Those interactive product pages are set up to push customers along the path to purchase. Brands can also embed quizzes, chapters, and other elements designed to drive engagement into their video content.

2. Clicktivated
Clicktivated is all about providing brands with ways to develop “shoppable experiences” online. The company’s interactive solutions connect viewers to products and information through video experiences. This works especially well for retail brands that post videos on their e-commerce websites and product pages. Rather than waiting until the end of the video to see a list of featured products, customers can click on the video itself to see the items being promoted. They can then click on those items to purchase them immediately. Clicktivated says this non-intrusive approach helps protect the integrity of the brand and the content.

3. Livescale
Livescale gives brands a way to deliver live shopping experiences when they can’t meet with customers face-to-face. It leverages in-store experiences to encourage in-video purchases. Brands that frequently work with influencers can add product links to sponsored videos posted on YouTube and other channels, with a seamless checkout process so viewers don’t have to leave the video they were watching to complete their transactions. The company says its video streaming e-commerce solution has a 9.5% average sales conversion rate.

4. Popshop Live
Popshop Live is a mobile live streaming marketplace where people can create their own pop-up channels. Popshop Live has a much larger base of potential users than other platforms on this list. Just about anyone can download the app, upload products and inventory information to create an online store, and then launch their own “shop” on the Popshop Live app. The company recommends that retailers using the app for the first time create preview trailers to get people excited about their “shows” before the scheduled show date. On that date, followers can watch the show live and purchase products immediately. After their shows have ended, retailers get access to sales and engagement metrics. They can also see the number of likes, orders, viewers, and total earnings for each show.

5. Buywith
Buywith calls itself an online broadcasting shopping platform. It’s really designed to make it easier for brands to engage with influencers, who can then engage with their followers through video. The buywith platform gives influencers a way to “shop” with their audiences on the brand’s website. The platform uses screen-sharing, combined with text and video chat, so influencers can interact directly with their followers during live-stream try-on sessions. Brands get access to a whole host of metrics, so they can gauge the relative success of any influencer campaign and track audience reach in real-time.

6. Bambuser
Bambuser falls squarely into the shoppable video category, with proprietary streaming technology and a white-label experience developed for top retail brands. The company has developed technology that makes online shopping interactive. Influencers hosting live streams can link directly to products on the brand’s website, and they can answer questions from viewers from within the video platform. Bambuser was actually designed in a way that encourages engagement by allowing the audience to share what they feel and having that show up on the video screen for all to see.

7. Spin
Spin is all about live stream shopping. The retail tech startup offers brands a way to show off their products without relying on social media or traditional advertising. Influencers can use the platform, too, when they “go live” with their favorite products and host virtual try-on sessions. Spin connects to multiple e-commerce platforms to sync product information, along with order management and fulfillment. One thing that separates Spin from competing video shopping solutions is its shopper influencer network, which brands can tap into to find influencers to partner with on upcoming projects.

Stephanie Miles is a senior editor at Street Fight.