• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, June 27, 2022

Brands trying to build online conversions should invest in video, judging by Why Consumers Rely on Video To Help Them Shop Online, a global study from Ascend2 and Brightcove.  

Of the consumers polled worldwide, 85% say videos are essential as they shop online. Drilling down, 48% believe video increases their confidence in a purchase. And 36% feels it helps them discover new products as they shop.

But it depends on who is providing the video. 

In North America, 57% are most likely to trust videos shared by other customers, and 49% from the brand itself (presumably including videos offered in emails). In contrast, 36% are confident videos on third-party review sites, and 9% from influencers.  

The percentages are similar globally, but 53% in the Asia-Pacific region prefer videos from brands. 

It also depends on the generation: 25% of Baby Boomers will move on if a video doesn’t load instantly, versus 5% of Gen Zers. 

But 25% of Gen Z 25% of millennials, 26% of Gen Xers and 27’% of boomers will leave after 5-10 seconds. Overall, 64% will bolt if it doesn’t load in four seconds. 

Here’s a lesson for email teams: 83% of those who spend the most money online say interactive features like click-to-purchase are helpful. Surely, it helps even more if the consumer can purchase within the email itself without clicking through to a web page — a feature provided in AMP (Associated Mobile Pages) for email.  

Overall, 54% have viewed product demonstration how-to video in the past three months, while 45% have watched a product demonstration how-to video. 

Product unboxing videos were viewed by 38% of Gen Z, 26% of millennials, 13% of Gen Xers — and 8% of boomers. 

Meanwhile, 80% of Big Spenders made a purchase as a result of a livestream or virtual shopping event.  

What prompts shoppers to purchase from live events? They cite: 

• Promotional discounts — 39%
• Product availability — 26%
• All my questions about the product were answered — 20%
• I felt more confident after seeing it live — 14%
• Other — 1%

When are people shopping most frequently online? Evening seems to be tops — 48% in North America, 67% in Europe and 65% in Asia-Pacific cite it. But many also shop in afternoon — 46% in North America, 38% in Europe and 65% in Asia-Pacific.  

What are they buying? Videos have help consumers purchase these products: 

• Consumer electronics (TV, computer, phone) — 81%
• Toy or games — 80% 
• DIY (tools, materials) — 78%
• Home appliances or furniture (décor, furniture, appliances) — 76%
• Sports or outdoor (including garden, camping) — 76%
• Baby/children’s products — 75%
• Auto supplies — 71%
• Entertainment (concerts, theme park, experiences) — 66% 
• Beauty products (skin care, haircare, makeup) — 66%
• Apparel (clothing, shoes, accessories) — 60% 
• Travel (hotels, flights, tours) — 59%

Ascend2 surveyed 1,346 consumers worldwide from March 20-April 15, 2022. Of these, 40% were in North America, while 32% were in Europe (the UK, Germany, and France) and 28% were in the Asia-Pacific region (Japan, India, Australia).