The Power of Visual Commerce

According to 3 Tactics to Optimize the Benefits of Visual Commerce,  by Retail Touchpoints, the value of visual data is on the rise. By 2020, 55% of US internet users will want to virtually view how furnishings fit in a home prior to purchase – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. As digital content moves away from product grid and towards rich experiences, customers expect their shopping experience to be engaging and larger-than-life. The best way to deliver these impactful experiences is through rich visual commerce. Below, we explore three brands who are doing visual commerce right.

Ethan Allen Shop-the-room experiences are powerful examples of visual commerce. Furniture is a big-ticket item; it is often expensive, difficult to ship and assemble, and even more difficult to return. Customers are often wary of purchasing couches or dining room tables online for this reason. But shop-the-room content gives a visual context to these products, and provides styling inspiration. Ethan Allen’s shop-the-room experience showcases dozens of fully styled rooms, photographed from multiple angles. The imagery brings the products to life in such a visual way that it is easy for shoppers to imagine the pieces in their own home. Purchasing the featured items is easy due to integrated quickviews. Customers can click a product to activate an eCommerce-enabled lightbox, add to cart, and then return to the experience to continue shopping. And with so much to see and buy, shoppers will stay engaged and on the page.

Francesca’s An impactful format to present a high volume of products beyond a simple product grid is the digital lookbook. Digital lookbooks rely heavily on imagery to engage shoppers, and are often the first thing shoppers see on a page. To keep shoppers clicking through to the purchase, they must be attention-grabbing and visually exciting. Francesca’s “Follow Us to Nashville” experience is a great example. What makes it so impactful is that the lookbook is full of rich imagery. With bright colors, beautiful photography, and even styling tips, this lookbook keeps customers clicking through and exploring because there is so much to see. And when online shopping is fun, loyal lifelong customers are born.  

First Jewelry Interactive elements like videos, animations, and carousel sliders are a great way to bring rich visual appeal to an experience. Content that isn’t just meant to be looked at, but played with and explored as well, stands out from the noise. First Jewelry’s Peanuts experience is a great example of just that. Shoppers can mouse over images to activate animations, click videos, and scroll through sliders to discover more content. These features bring the content and products to life, making the experience rich and dynamic. And because there is so much to explore on the page, shoppers are staying on the page longer. As a final touch, quickviews make everything instantly shoppable.