🎥 What is Video Commerce and Why It Matters for Fashion Brands
by Enrico Fantaguzzi, Digital Fashion Academy
Video commerce is emerging as a powerful tool reshaping the way fashion brands connect with customers and sell products online.
So what is video commerce?
Video commerce refers to selling products directly through video content—either live or pre-recorded—where viewers can click and shop in real-time, without leaving the video. Think of it as QVC meets TikTok, but fully shoppable and digital-first. This trend is already booming in Asia and is steadily gaining traction in Europe and the U.S.
Why is it important now?
Attention is the new currency, and consumers, Gen Z and Millennials in particular, are spending more time watching short videos than browsing traditional eCommerce catalogs. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are not just for entertainment anymore, they are becoming shopping environments, and fashion brands and retailers should be aware of this. Video creates emotional engagement, shows products in action, and builds trust with creators and brand ambassadors.
As Eitan Koter points out, creators are becoming the new commerce engines. They bring authenticity, community, and influence—qualities that static product pages simply can’t match.
How should fashion brands and retailers approach video commerce?
- Start small but consistent: Don’t wait to launch a perfect livestream shopping strategy. Begin with shoppable Instagram Reels, TikToks, or styling videos integrated into your PDPs (Product Detail Pages).
- Collaborate with creators: Influencers and micro-creators can present your products in relatable, real-life contexts.
- Leverage platforms: Use tools like Bambuser, Livescale, or directly integrate TikTok Shop to make video instantly shoppable.
- Educate and entertain: It’s not just about “buy now”—use video to tell the brand story, explain materials, and show versatility.
What’s the difference between eCommerce, social commerce, and video commerce?
- eCommerce is the digital storefront—your Shopify or Magento site.
- Social commerce is selling through social platforms like Instagram Shop or TikTok Shop, where discovery and purchase happen within the app.
- Video commerce is a subset of both—using video content to directly drive sales, whether it’s embedded on your site or hosted on social platforms.
The fashion world is flooded with content and products, video commerce cuts through the noise. It’s a format designed for attention, built for engagement, and optimized for conversion.
At Digital Fashion Academy, we believe in continuous professional development that goes hand in hand with digital transformation, and as part of this transformation we recommend to start looking at ways to integrate video commerce your marketing and ecommerce strategies, as this could become as a core pillar of your omnichannel strategy.
The Video Commerce at QVC
QVC, the original home shopping giant, is undergoing a bold transformation.
With a massive decline in traditional TV viewership, 44% down since 2018, the company is now livestreaming on TikTok 24/7, becoming the first constant stream of shoppable content.
This pivot is part of a broader strategy to reinvent itself as a “live social shopping company,” targeting $1.5 billion in sales through social platforms within three years.
For legacy brands like QVC, embracing platforms like TikTok is a survival tactic, and a strategic shift that validates the massive potential of live social commerce.
Glossary of Video Commerce
📘 Glossary: Key Terms in Video Commerce
1. Video Commerce
The use of video content—live or pre-recorded—to showcase and sell products online. It allows viewers to watch, interact, and purchase directly from the video interface.
2. Shoppable Video
A video that includes clickable links or interactive elements allowing viewers to purchase featured products without leaving the video.
3. Livestream Shopping / Live Shopping
A live broadcast (often on social media or eCommerce platforms) where hosts or influencers present products, answer questions, and sell in real-time. Popular in China and gaining ground globally.
4. Short-form Video
Bite-sized video content, usually under 60 seconds, designed for platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts. Often used to showcase products in a dynamic and entertaining format.
5. Product Tagging
The practice of linking specific products to moments in a video, allowing viewers to click and view product details or make a purchase instantly.
6. Creator Commerce
A model where content creators (influencers, stylists, brand ambassadors) promote and sell products directly through their video content and social media platforms.
7. Social Commerce
Selling products directly through social media platforms like Instagram Shop, Facebook Marketplace, TikTok Shop, or Pinterest. Often includes video, but not exclusively.
8. eCommerce
Traditional online commerce via brand-owned websites or marketplaces (e.g. Shopify, Magento, Amazon), where users browse digital catalogs and complete purchases.
9. PDP (Product Detail Page)
A product-specific page on an eCommerce website that includes images, pricing, size options, and now increasingly includes video content to boost engagement and conversion.
10. Conversion Rate
A key performance metric in eCommerce that measures the percentage of viewers or visitors who take a desired action—usually completing a purchase.
11. Engagement Rate
A measure of how users interact with a video (likes, comments, shares, click-throughs), often used to gauge the effectiveness of video content in video commerce.
12. Video CMS (Content Management System)
A platform or tool used to manage, host, and distribute video content across websites and social media. Some platforms also include analytics and shoppable integrations.
13. Omnichannel Strategy
A unified customer experience across multiple platforms: web, mobile, social, in-store. Video commerce supports omnichannel by merging storytelling, content, and transactions.
14. Interactive Video
Video content that includes user-triggered actions (clicks, hovers, swipes), such as choosing product colors, adding to cart, or jumping to different video sections.
15. Platform Integration
The technical connection between your video content and eCommerce system, enabling real-time product data, pricing updates, inventory sync, and purchase flow.