It can be difficult to convey a premium product like a $20,000 diamond engagement ring on a standalone website. So when global jewellery chain Michael Hill wanted to bring its range of rings, pendants, bracelets and watches to life online, video proved the best option to tap into the emotional side of the buying journey.
A buyer’s emotions are often heavily involved when buying something like jewellery, which is typically a sentimental purchase rather than a habitual one. By demonstrating the jewellery in three-dimensional mode with video, the concept of the ‘shoppable’ video was born. By integrating Brightcove with its e-commerce systems, visitors to the Michael Hill website are able to click on a video, immerse themselves in the experience, and immediately decide whether to buy the product they were viewing, providing an entirely new experience for customers.
Three months after the initiative began, Michael Hill had experienced a 85 percent increase in site visits and a 220 percent increase in conversion rates. The numbers truly show how video transformed the way Michael Hill engages with consumers. That was largely thanks to Michael Hill making its videos ‘shoppable’. Using Brightcove Video Cloud helped Michael Hill’s lean digital team do it once and do it right across five different websites in four geographic areas — Australia, New Zealand, the US and Canada. The team only had to upload videos once with associated product data, and it instantly became reusable across websites and pages without extra administrative burden.
Video has since become the cornerstone to Michael Hill’s marketing strategy, providing a new way for consumers to research products and buy online, or continue their research in-store. It is a fascinating look at how a premium brand can increase sales in a digital world by adding an innovative user experience, rather than simply relying on traditional sales techniques.
To find out more about how Brightcove has enabled Michael Hill with this innovative shopping experience, read the full case study here.