Comments on: Honeyshed is Closing – Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater http://videoretailer.org/commerce/honeyshed-is-closing-dont-throw-the-baby-out-with-the-water/ Exploring the Intersection of Video and e-Commerce. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:31:31 -0700 hourly 1 By: Xavier Casanova http://videoretailer.org/commerce/honeyshed-is-closing-dont-throw-the-baby-out-with-the-water/comment-page-1/#comment-103 Xavier Casanova Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:30:15 +0000 http://videoretailer.org/content/honeyshed-is-closing-dont-throw-the-baby-out-with-the-water/#comment-103 @Justin Foster "I also wouldn’t want people to read this and think there isn’t a viable intersection between entertainment and e-commerce." It's too early to tell if there is, or not, I agree. But Honeyshed would be a good example of what tends to happen when a company tries to both be funny/entertaining, and sell products at the same time. It's hard to be good at both. As far as eRetailers are concerned, the most successful entertainment/e-commerce mix I've seen is the Altrec, which I will write about soon (see this example: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zlbnAOK5Y2k). But even there, I wouldn't call that entertainment. It's more a conversational approach to showing and selling a product (much like HSN/QVC in fact). @Justin Foster

“I also wouldn’t want people to read this and think there isn’t a viable intersection between entertainment and e-commerce.”

It’s too early to tell if there is, or not, I agree. But Honeyshed would be a good example of what tends to happen when a company tries to both be funny/entertaining, and sell products at the same time. It’s hard to be good at both.

As far as eRetailers are concerned, the most successful entertainment/e-commerce mix I’ve seen is the Altrec, which I will write about soon (see this example: http://youtube.com/watch?v=zlbnAOK5Y2k). But even there, I wouldn’t call that entertainment. It’s more a conversational approach to showing and selling a product (much like HSN/QVC in fact).

]]> By: Justin Foster http://videoretailer.org/commerce/honeyshed-is-closing-dont-throw-the-baby-out-with-the-water/comment-page-1/#comment-102 Justin Foster Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:29:45 +0000 http://videoretailer.org/content/honeyshed-is-closing-dont-throw-the-baby-out-with-the-water/#comment-102 Nice post X. Agreed on the reason for failure, although more retailers will continue gravitating toward QVC-style production - especially as e-commerce sites become savvier about missed revenue opportunities on the product page and seek to create differentiated content. I also wouldn't want people to read this and think there isn't a viable intersection between entertainment and e-commerce. YouTube is helping prove there is with its click-to-buy program, and others in the market are doing well here also. Last, I agree with your insight that most revenue from video in the e-commerce world is built on the back of core merchandising operations, rather than from ad revenue or syndication of video content. Two years from now, it might be different, but today it's just not playing out that way. Those opportunities will continue to be interesting to probe... but right now it's all about getting back to the core business. Justin Nice post X. Agreed on the reason for failure, although more retailers will continue gravitating toward QVC-style production – especially as e-commerce sites become savvier about missed revenue opportunities on the product page and seek to create differentiated content.

I also wouldn’t want people to read this and think there isn’t a viable intersection between entertainment and e-commerce. YouTube is helping prove there is with its click-to-buy program, and others in the market are doing well here also.

Last, I agree with your insight that most revenue from video in the e-commerce world is built on the back of core merchandising operations, rather than from ad revenue or syndication of video content. Two years from now, it might be different, but today it’s just not playing out that way. Those opportunities will continue to be interesting to probe… but right now it’s all about getting back to the core business.

Justin

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