Society loves to tell us that money doesn’t buy happiness, but society also loves to taunt us with endless possibilities for what we can become if only we indulge in the deeply satisfying, dopamine-releasing process of shopping. In our free time, we peruse the beautiful homes and tastefully decorated personal spaces on our Pinterest feeds and send images we love to our friends and family. We draw inspiration for our next clothing haul by people-watching and swiping through our Instagram. Even on a less superficial level, engaging in most hobbies of passion requires us to spend money in order to elevate the level of satisfaction we draw from the activity. After all, nobody can become an epic skater without a quality skateboard, or become an accomplished artist without the proper supplies. No aspiring photographer will have much of a portfolio without a professional setup that will allow their talent to shine, and having a mediocre guitar will probably not get you very far if you want to pursue music. Quite factually, shopping is inevitable if we want to unlock better versions of ourselves on levels far beyond simple materialism.
A brand's goal is to market their offerings as the best option for people on their shopping journey. The ideal way to go about this is by delving into an angle of human nature that has not yet been tapped into by today’s e-commerce. The need for a genuine human interactive shopping experience. But where in the realm of e-commerce do we implement this? Sure, one can scroll through reviews and do their own research on a product, but what can a business do to provide a purer form of human interaction in their shopping experience? Chatbots and customer service helplines are not enough; they lack physical cues and nuance.
According to award-winning communications specialist Miti Ampoma, “When you communicate in a way that makes a genuine human connection you create trust. Simple things such as eye contact, body language and active listening all show the other person that you value both them and the discussion you’re having.” How does this play into the realm of online shopping? The issue is, it doesn't. Not yet. Luckily there is a new way to shatter this status quo and give shoppers the ability to converse with the faces that represent your brand virtually. Offering the familiarity of a human connection on your website is no longer out of the question with face-to-face video e-commerce through platforms like Uptok. No longer is it the best practice to let your brand speak for itself. There are far too many websites with far too many offerings for you to trust that those who are meant to be your market will find you. In this age, when one single TikTok posted by the right person who is passionate about what you offer can do more for your brand than thousands of dollars of various marketing efforts, it is clear that all your customers need is an interactive shopping experience with a human touch. Shoppers crave a human voice to help them make a decision they can put their trust in, and video e-commerce can facilitate this trust.
With face-to-face conversation, an ambitious beginner can make an educated skateboard purchase after talking to a salesperson about which deck size will work best for them. The aspiring artist can purchase a pottery wheel that will thoroughly suit their needs in every way, the photographer can buy the specific lens that will see their vision through, and the newly equipped guitarist will be able to comfortably strum on a guitar that feels like it was made for just them. Help your shoppers unlock their human potential by being there for them as humans.
