Zappos tries video sharing to boost sales

Zappos sees video this way. The shoe and clothing company displays interactive videos about its Nike products. Shoppers can click on items in the clips to see more information, including any current promotions and whether the product is in stock. Customers can also post links to Zappos videos on their FacebookFacebook pages, upload their own recordings to Zappos.com and leave comments on the clips. The company plans to create 50,000 videos--covering 1 percent of its products--by the end of the year, says Brian Kalma, director of user experience and Web strategy. Alles zu Facebook auf CIO.de

Zappos doesn't yet know how much money it will make from the social networking initiative. "The goal is to create a more pleasurable experience on our site," Kalma says. "The general philosophy is that will lead to purchases."

Listening to Customers

To read more on this topic, see: Supply Chain Robots Rule the Zappos.com Warehouse and Facebook, Mobile Phones and the Future of Shopping.

The impetus for the project came in part from customers who asked questions best answered visually, Kalma says. How does this running shoe bend How easily does that Velcro tab open "We can show that better than tell it," he adds. Zappos also wants to show products in "aspirational" situations: In theory, a customer who watches a model skiing may be more likely to buy the pants she is wearing.