8 Types of Ecommerce Videos Every Online Store Needs

Conversion improves when buyers can picture themselves using the product. A static product photo can only tell part of the story, but video fills in everything a photo can’t. It shows how the product moves, how it works, and how a real person uses it.

This is why video is no longer a nice-to-have for ecommerce brands. Product pages and ecommerce social media accounts with video, tend to convert better than those that only use photos.

Social media platforms are also favouring video content more than other types of content.

But ecommerce video isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. Different products and businesses will need different types of ecommerce videos to improve conversion. Below are eight types of ecommerce video that every online store should have in its toolkit, what each one is for, and when to use it.

1. Product Demo Videos

A product demo video shows exactly how something works, how to use the product, and the problem it solves.
These videos are the equivalent of an experienced salesperson walking a customer through the product before they buy.
Product demo videos are best suited to products with special functionality or products that need assembling. This is often one of the highest-converting video types on an ecommerce site because it appears at the exact moment a shopper is deciding whether to buy.

2. Unboxing & Lifestyle Videos

Unboxing videos capture the experience of receiving and opening a product, focusing on the packaging and the first impression.

Lifestyle videos go a step further, showing the product in use in a natural, everyday setting rather than against a studio backdrop.

These videos work well when a shopper needs to picture a product in their own life rather than simply understand how it works. They can be particularly effective for industries such as fashion, beauty, food and homewares.

3. Testimonial & UGC Style Videos

Nothing builds trust faster than seeing a real customer say a product worked for them. Testimonial videos and user-generated content can build trust in a way that written reviews often can’t, with far more impact.

Testimonial content is particularly effective at overcoming that last bit of hesitation before checkout.

4. Explainer & Animated Videos

Some products are hard to film in a way that makes sense. How do you show a software subscription? Or explain how a warranty works?

Animation can solve this problem. Instead of filming something real, you can draw or build the explanation, making complex ideas much easier to understand.

Explainer and animated videos are particularly suited to SaaS and software, fintech services, crowdfunding, healthcare and e-learning.

5. Social Ad Cuts (TikTok, Reels, Meta Ads)

Short-form social media videos have their own format. These videos often rely on fast hooks, native language and editing styles, along with on-screen text.

They are particularly suited to social media ads and can help generate more views and engagement.

A single shoot day can often be cut into a dozen or more short-form variations, making this one of the best value video types for the money spent.

6. Brand & Founder Story Videos

Brand story videos don’t focus heavily on individual products. Instead, they answer the bigger questions, such as how the brand or company was formed, what values it stands for and what makes it different.

The current trend is also seeing founders act as brand ambassadors, helping to build a level of trust and differentiation that product-specific content simply can’t.

A well-made brand video tends to have a long shelf life and can provide the foundation for a lot of other content.

7. How-To & Tutorial Videos

How-to videos help customers get more value from what they have already bought. These videos can educate customers on how to use the product and how to take care of it.

They can also act as useful answers to common support queries related to the product.

8. Seasonal Campaign Videos

Seasonal videos link your content to a specific moment, such as a holiday, festival or sales event. These videos create a sense of urgency and give returning customers a reason to check back in, even if they have already bought from you before.

As these videos are time-bound and don’t have a long shelf life, they are a good candidate for a lighter, faster production approach rather than a full studio shoot.

How to Prioritise Which Videos to Produce First

Few ecommerce brands can produce all eight types at once, so it helps to prioritise based on where the biggest gap in your current customer journey is.

If you are losing customers on the product page, the priority should be product demo and testimonial videos.

If your ad creatives aren’t converting or you are facing ad fatigue, prioritise social ad cuts. A single shoot can be repurposed into multiple ad variations, which is often one of the fastest ways to see a return.

If your product is related to fintech or SaaS, lead with an explainer or animated video.

If you are a startup building for the long term, invest in brand story videos.

The type of ecommerce video you need will change as your business grows, but starting with the format that solves your current bottleneck is almost always the best approach.

Not sure where to start, or want a second opinion on which video types could move the needle for your store? Get in touch with an e-commerce video production agency like Pickle Pictures that can help you achieve your goals.