The eCommerce sales channel has been enjoying rapid growth ever since it first came up on the marketplace.

Giving both the customers and the sellers/brands unique advantages to step in with, it created a hinge for a

digital product and service reality. The traditional offline sales world is often at risk just because of the

domination of eCommerce in the advanced world of technology nowadays. Simply, online has become a

priority - rather the purpose is marketing, sales or any type of customer service.

The average consumer, on the other side, has shifted his mindset from closed to open, and has been found to

progressively continue leverage the power of online shopping - eCommerce . With this in mind, brands create

different pitches on their sides, with each of them creating a different and unique sales presence online.

And in such dominant competition and advanced world of shopping eCommerce, most of the online store

owners do not know how to get their products through the marketplace and make the most out of them.

So, what is the main reason behind better online shopping in general?

The answer is - a whole new visual perspective. But what does it mean?

In general, consumers nowadays are longing for a visual stimulation and interaction while they are shopping.

Something that is present in the real world (and possibly something which eCommerce misses out on).

Consumers have already adapted to product images and have found to be not at all enticed from them to

complete a purchase. Instead, the online experience they are looking for is something of a better reality, and

something close to an in-store experience. After all, that's how the whole sales and distribution channel

started, right?

So, what is the average online shopper looking for nowadays in particular?

An experience is the first way to define it. A 360° and 3D product photography is the second, more accurate and

effective way - to give our savvy shoppers what they really want.

According to many studies, most of the shoppers nowadays are well-educated to know what they want and

how they want it. They are aware of all the circumstances, risks and good sides of online shopping and

therefore demand an ability to turn a product around and see it in the best light. In a recent survey conducted

by Adobe Scene7, it was found that even 91% of the individuals nowadays want to see a product in full 360°

spin as well as zoom on it on any perspective. Which is exactly the main point of this eBook.

You may be thinking: 'Wait, I thought 360° photography is the main idea here'. However, we want to give news flash to

you, saying that the eCommerce product view has shifted to a step ahead from your thoughts - which is 360° product

video, a new way of experiencing digital products in real-time.

In reality, the 360 degree product image is very much common nowadays. In fact, the era of basic product images is

already a history to the modern eCommerce world, however an upgrade on the 360 image concept is more than needed.

And here it is. The time for the perennial image stalwart to be transformed by the progress of another technology is now.

Leveraging online video to be the ideal sales but also an amazing customer service tool is more than needed. In fact, video

has become an important part of any brand's sales efforts and was proven to impact the sales positively.

Let's give an example on YouTube, the biggest digital video giant. A survey in 2013 conducted by Dimensional Research

found out that even 90 percent of the respondents reading online reviews claimed that the positive reviews definitely had

an influence on their buying decisions. This was the part to start with. Two years later, and in present 2015, a survey

conducted by UK's BuzzMyVideos found out that online video product reviews are trusted MORE than any other media.

Apart from the expertise in the reviews narrated by the savvy geeks, today's customers want to see the product in the

hands of a human, and most importantly - from every angle possible. Coming back to the survey, even 93 percent of the

people surveyed has positive feelings when they saw products featured in a video. Along with that, 89 percent said that

they are more likely to buy something after seeing it in an online video.

So, we can definitely conclude that it's common for a person to view a YouTube review of their next car, mobile phone,

laptop or even a Swiss Knife. To be honest, the number of online reviews and their popularity does not know limits - as

there can be found a review for a simple pencil as well. However, all of these results favor our purpose - and show how

lustful the online shoppers today are - for something new and revolutionary, something jaw-dropping and beneficial to

their decisions.

So, what can it be?

It's another form of video. It's called 4k video

Now that you know the concept of 360 degree video, we just want to inform you that there are two levels of it - normal

one, which is the common HD shot in 1080 pixels, and a brand new and revolutionary one - 4k video, or commonly known

as Ultra HD video - recognized as the start of a massive video revolution.

We are certainly sure that the survey percentages will grow even higher if we include the new and massive technology of

4k video. Obviously, both of the video technologies can be used in 360 degree product videos and at Proideo, we include

both of them as parts of our portfolio.

But, what's the real deal behind 4k and why is it so amazing? Also, how will it impact more sales?

First of all, it's a whole new technology which enables users to capture the highest form of video footage yet. Shooting a

moment in photo or video has always been difficult as we know. However, 4k video shifts the whole approach into

something new, using a single frame as a high resolution image which allows capturing everything without any

compromise on quality.

The single frame used as a high resolution image at Proideo is your product. It is a massive opportunity for each one of

your buyers to see the product in real light and as stated by many 4k fans 'as with their own eyes'. The 4k revolution is

here, and it has created a portfolio of solutions at Proideo - enabling your products to be shared to the everyday online

consumers at a whole new level.

Similar to the transition when NTSC video gave birth to the HD, the 4k revolution comes with data which is four-times

heavier than HD but possibly 100 times better - in every way possible. After its invention, many of the brands and users

have started adopting it in their online funnels. From big brands to professional photographers and online reviewers, 4k

has found its purpose fitting well in the marketplace - marching forward along with the technology of nowadays.

To wrap it up, 4k video has given us at Proideo an enormous competitive advantage. However, the competitive advantage

is transferred to you in a bigger portion - enabling you to show off your products in the best way possible so that people

find the better, sharper and more detailed products online - which they have been looking for ever since.

Now that you know about the revolution in video, particularly in 360 degree video and its split in both HD and Ultra HD

(4k) technology, it's time for you to hear the benefits of using 360 degree video in your online store.

#1 - It is an interactive display solution that creates a natural and engaging product experience

The buyer's shopping experience is nowadays vital in eCommerce. It is of great importance that this journey should be

both stimulating and interactive. Compared to the simple two-dimensional images, 360 product videos are proven to do

better in enticing and driving purchases, especially when the product offers a lot of information.

When the consumer is offered a lively method of seeing the product, the experience is unlike any other seen before.

Apart from being thrilled, the video will definitely trigger the consumer's buying decision, since the interaction with it is at

high level.

Or in other words, 360 degree video can be described as a real sales motion. It is something that is engaging, to-the-point

and natural. It is something similar to what we are used to seeing with our own eyes, however never online. That is why

the solution is both interactive and engaging, as it revolutionizes the common sense of shopping.

Poor visual content, on the other side, is accounted for negative conversion and buying rate. Even 80% of the online

shoppers said that they will never buy a product if its visuals are poor, according to another survey. This adds up to the

360 degree experience in a whole new aspect, and directly from the consumer's actions - which is why your website

needs an interactive display solution to trigger the attention of the shoppers.

#2 - Lack of Web Stress at Your Customers

If you are unfamiliar with web stress, it is a state in which your customers feel angry at you for not offering the best

service or at least something they expected from you. Web Stress leads to many bad things, and goes even further than

page leaves. It can be demonstrated as well with negative reviews or one of the worst nightmares of page owners

nowadays - negative or bad 'word of mouth' marketing.

360 degree product videos directly win over Web Stress, offering unique solution that cuts down any of the web stress

factors. And while mentioning them, let's see what they really are:

1. Poor quality of service

2. Poor user experience

3. Few or no tools at all

4. Poor purchasing process

5. Poor site responsiveness

To describe the battle between 360 product video as a technology and the easy win against web stress, we could say that

as an innovation, it directly introduces a new quality of service with what it's told to be an amazing user experience.

Describing the product at a simple glance, it adds up to the site responsiveness and triggers the consumers to buy the

product in the end.

#3 - Increased Online Conversion

The eCommerce journey is often described as simple and following 3 steps:

1. Search for a product

2. Viewing it

3. Purchasing it

Now, you would certainly want to know how 360 degree video affects these steps...

Replicating the idea of picking up a product and examining it, 360 degree product videos do a GREAT job, especially when

the customer bounce rate as well as conversion rates are measured through analytics.

With increasing the customer's personal connection and attachment to the product, the 360 degree spin also gives the

buyer better confidence with providing more detailed product information and overview, with which the customer will

more likely buy the product. The conversion rates will always be higher with 360 degree videos, since they directly add up

to the visual experience and are always better than their predecessors - plain images and 360 photos.

Many of our clients at Proideo have measured better conversion even in the first weeks of implementing our 360 degree

video solution. From 20% to even 80% better conversion, in general, 360 product videos are accountable for at least 30%

average increase in a website's conversion rate.

#4 - Increased Visual Information which yields with Fewer Product Returns

Did you know that nearly a third of all online sales in the world are being returned on average?

Whether you knew or didn't know about this, it's true and official - eCommerce has a big threat - product returns. Big

companies and brands also have this problem and are desperately trying to reduce the return rates without raising any

costs or changing their policies. And if you think this cannot be done, let's just say we have good news.

360 degree product videos help customers to be more informed and satisfied while viewing a product online. Therefore,

the decisions will always be based on a more informed approach from the brand itself, and the disappointments will

always be minimized - coming from the accurate and complete representation of a product in its real light. Measured

through analytics the fewer product returns are accountable for even 50% reduction in product returns in general.

#5 - Increased engagement leads to customer satisfaction and brand loyalty

Did you know that online consumers are 85 times more likely to share their positive reviews over any negative reviews

online?

This means that if your products and technology know how to satisfy a customer, he or she will always be more likely to

share his/her satisfaction with your brand and also order again from you. In addition to the fewer product returns as well

as the better engagement, customers viewing products in 360 degrees will spend more time on your website and also

mark your brand as authoritative and reputable.

In fact, 360 degree product videos let the customers be involved in the buying process and the overall online shopping

experience - which results with a BIG increase of customer satisfaction, which in many cases of ours has been measured

up to 50%.

#6 - The number one reason for mobile users to purchase

According to a survey by Adobe Mobile Consumer, it was found that customers are more likely to compare 360 degree

video spins of products (42% likelihood) over any comparing videos (%31) or alternative images (29%). In reality, we can

relate to that as the simplest, most straight-forward and accurate option that can be offered for a consumer on a mobile

device.

Now, you certainly are informed about how mobile commerce (mCommerce) is driving the eCommerce world to a lead in

the future. Having even 22% of the whole eCommerce market share, mobile sales have grown enormously from last year -

and measure a 22% increase this year (2015) compared to the last, 2014. However, this year has not passed yet and the

complete prediction may round up to a tremendous 37% increase, which certainly speaks one of the fastest growing

marketplaces for sure.

#7 - Major SEO Improvements

With your online store having great increases in conversion, online purchases and satisfaction rates, you will be on the

way to becoming a brand authority and a popular destination for buyers. Ultimately, this will lead to great traffic to your

website - and an increase of your search engine optimization (SEO) value for your site which also leads to further

differentiation of your store from your competition.

Furthermore, your videos can be linked on the popular video platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo and others, which will

also add up to a better SEO experience and position your brand as an authority for Google and the other search engines.

#8 - In the end, cost effectiveness

Being an ultimately affordable solution, 360 product video as a technology is stellar and demanding. However, the

concept of Proideo does not involve buying machinery or hiring a specialized expert as a part of your company to do the

whole filming. Instead, we are a team of professionals doing everything from you with a single demand from you - to ship

your products to our offices. As soon as we receive them, your 360 degree product videos will be finished to perfection -

from real professionals in the field!

This way, your eCommerce store is fully scalable. Based on cloud servers, your 360 degree product videos will be stored

so you have them anywhere you go, delivering an instantaneous viewing experience.

Flexible and providing amazing control, 360 degree videos are certainly better than any other alternative. They always

make sure to give buyers the control they need over the digital assets and enable educated purchases with an increase in

customer satisfaction and a decrease in returns and/or exchanges.

But most of all, 360 degrees add up to the brand authority of your website and online store. They directly affect the

conversion and enable a great shopping experience yielding new customers and repetitive visits from the existing ones.

With this, they increase the number of sales on your website and make you aware of how special your products really are

- and how essential it is to present them in the best light possible.

Fully integrated with any social media platform, fully available to you anywhere you are - through a cloud-based server

and perfectly easy to set up, the 360 degree product experience is a whole new branded approach ready to be leveraged.

Without any investments made in staff or technology, you only invest in an affordable solution for transforming your

photos into real-time videos and reliving your products in the digital world accordingly.

In the end, video is always effective when used on a product page that is well designed and responsive. Displaying clear

information and every single angle of your product that the consumer wants to see, video will guide you and your online

store to real success in every field.