Marks & Spencer Says Its Interactive Video Service Has Increased Sales

UK high-street retailer, Marks & Spencer, says that its interactive broadband video service, Marks & Spencer TV (http://www.marksandspencer.tv), which launched around six months ago, has now delivered over a million minutes of video. According to the company, the service's player, which was developed by Adjust Your Set, has hosted over 190 "films," including interviews with such celebrities as Zandra Rhodes, Twiggy and Marie Helvin, documentaries, catwalk footage, Marks & Spencer TV spots, and "customer vox pops."

The bespoke player incorporates a click-to-buy function, which showcases products featured in a piece of video in clickable thumbnails to the right of the screen. According to Marks & Spencer, click-through rates are as high as 30% and have increased sales of some products by as much as 90%. The company says that the player is helping power a multi-channel strategy that has seen Marks & Spencer TV programming distributed via Facebook and Twitter, various other video sharing sites and portals (such as Tiscali), and the Apple iPhone. "As the first major retailer in this space, we've had a unique opportunity to give our customers a more entertaining shopping experience," Dave Hughes, director of Marks & Spencer's M&S Direct arm, said in a prepared statement. "By better showcasing our product innovations and providing expert advice, we can draw customers back to the site time and time again."