NowDiscover GmbH, a new content recommendation engine built to bridge the gap between video content and ecommerce and retail, has gone live.
Following customer trials and team expansion, the platform which tailors video content into product websites to increase sales, is now accessible to businesses worldwide in Beta.
NowDiscover parses product data from any online store before scouring YouTube for videos that are likely to help consumers reach their purchasing decision and automatically integrates these videos directly into e-merchant’s site.
The platform has proven to boost sales and saves both e-merchants and consumers time by delivering informative tutorials, branded, unboxing and review videos via a proprietary player at the crucial moment in the shopping journey.
Commenting on the launch, co-founder Vishal Kawatra said: “NowDiscover bridges the gap between content and ecommerce, giving the shopper the video experience they want. The increased amount of video content across online platforms has left consumers wanting richer more immersive experiences before they buy. NowDiscover satiates consumer desire for authentic as well as branded product videos to inform purchase decisions. We deliver the right video, at the right time and place to drive product sales, ultimately accelerating the sales funnel for the e-merchant and improving the customer experience.”
Commenting on the launch, Beta customer and MD of DJ equipment reseller Knight Sound and Light Keith Loosley, added: “We knew that our customers wanted video; it makes sense for them to research product reviews and tutorials before purchasing technical equipment. We couldn’t afford to lose man-hours selecting and importing video into the site, but with a few simple steps NowDiscover strengthened the visual offering by adding a mix of informative video content right next to the products on the page. The results were instant and compelling with a clear increase in sales conversions and happier customers.”
Industry expert analysts anticipate the potential for market growth in this area to be significant. Jill Finger-Gibson Principal analyst at Digital Clarity Group added: “In a world where Etailors and brands have to compete with the powerhouses like Amazon, this type of technology could provide a real competitive advantage.”
Rob Bamforth, Principal Analyst Quocirca also commented on the launch of NowDiscover predicting the broader use cases for this type of technology: “As video continues to spread across an increasing number of platforms, scenarios and communications channels, the need for intelligent curation and recommendation of content grows. The convergence of live chat and real-time video exchange to improve user experience creates both an opportunity and a challenge for technologists and marketers. This type of video technology is very interesting for enhancing customer shopping experiences but it also paves the way for other guided internet journeys beyond consumer actions, across all online behaviour, from politics to healthcare.”
Looking to the future of the company Kawatra added: “Forrester research suggest consumers require an average of 11.4 pieces of content before purchasing. We’re only scratching the surface of how to harness this content effectively but with machine learning and more powerful iterations of the platform, we’ll soon be able to provide a tailored menu of content in various forms, video, imagery and text that provides the customer with all the information they could want, without leaving the merchants site.”
NowDiscover is the only UK start-up to receive initial funding through the Investment Bank Berlin (IBB) and the company is currently seeking additional funding for global expansion and further product development.
The company is based in Berlin and was founded by UK entrepreneurs Ashley Harris and Vishal Kawatra, veterans of the video content and martech space along with Co-founder and Professor of Computer Science, Sebastian Bab who has provided guidance around machine learning and AI potential to improve the customer shopping journey.
Emerchants looking to harness the power of video to drive sales can sign up for free to the BETA platform here.
www.nowdiscover.com