Cannabis eCommerce is on the rise in a big way. Recreational marijuana sales in the U.S. reached $11 billion in 2020 with that number set to grow year over year as 18 (and counting) states currently allow for legal recreational use. Although shipping marijuana is still illegal, cannabis eCommerce is still a growing trend (and so are cannabis product videos).
Sparked by the pandemic, dispensaries turned to online sales with pickup in-store as person to person contact was severely limited for over a year. Amazon and Shopify might not be hip to the trend yet, but there are several marijuana seller platforms available to dispensaries now like Blackbird, Leafly, and Weedmaps that let you list and market your bud.
The Dispensary Experience
However, there is a major pitfall when it comes to selling cannabis and cannabis related products online. Dispensaries have always been known to offer a highly personalized experience with well-versed staff in-store educating customers on strain type, desired effects, and preferred paraphernalia. But they lose that high touch, personalized experience when shifting online. Product videos are an excellent way to capture that personalized experience and do it at scale.
We have long preached at Video Review Labs that eCommerce product videos bring consumers as close to that in-store experience as possible. Product videos can quickly educate, demonstrate, and convert. So consider placing product videos strategically across your cannabis eCommerce site. Category videos can guide your customers in the right direction for the type of cannabis experience they’re looking for followed up with product videos on the actual product page that seal the deal and drive conversions.
Working with the Pros
Our team recently worked with the fine folks at Zig-Zag, the leaders in rolling papers. Their business is booming to keep up with the marijuana industry as they move to a direct-to-consumer model. They want the act of purchasing their products to be streamlined, discreet, and upscale for their customers. They want to control the brand experience instead of leaving it to the typical head shop employee.
So we partnered together for a pilot run at rolling paper eCommerce videos. They will act as guides on which products are right for the customer. We shot the product videos in tabletop format where we could keep things cool and simple. We, of course, had to add a little haze for effect. And Zig-Zag’s products are obviously very small. So to highlight their quality we shot with a specialized macro lens that allows for extremely close detailed shots.
Now the Zig-Zag marketing team has a new tool to employ across their Amazon listings and DTC site where they can keep the brand experience controlled and consistent with eCommerce product videos.
Is your cannabis product business booming? Are you just starting out? Get in touch with the team at VRL to see how we can help educate your customers, drive conversions, and build your brand experience through product videos!
