10 UGC Success Stories in eCommerce Marketing: Takeaways, Tips & More

Picture this: Your socials are blowing up with user-generated video content.

Great, right? After all, as an eCommerce brand, that’s free marketing material to help you save on business expenses.

Wrong. If you don't know how to use UGC videos effectively or which pages to embed them on, none of that matters.

So, how do you get around this? By learning from the best, of course!

This article lists 10 case studies that highlight how effective such content can be when leveraged properly. Each example has been carefully analyzed and selected to give you a comprehensive idea of how you can use UGC videos for eCommerce marketing success.

Let’s break them down!

Case study 1: Dr. Dennis Gross’s all-in-one product pages

Dr. Dennis Gross is a skincare brand specializing in developing products based on medical research and expert insight. They've embedded videos on 100+ pages across their site. But the most interesting widget is the video carousel on their product pages.

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These clips are a mix of branded and user-generated material that highlight the experiences of real customers and include:

• Direct testimonials from satisfied buyers to build social proof
• Playful skits centered around the product to humanize the brand
• Step-by-step guides for product usage to guide and educate buyers

Now, the shoppable videos alone generated over 50,000 USD in revenue. Collectively, video-engaged traffic on the site placed 5000+ orders worth over 1 million USD in 2023.

💡 Takeaway for you

If you want to effectively use UGC videos for eCommerce marketing, start by embedding them on your product pages. This will help your audience make informed purchasing decisions while conveying the trust your existing buyers have in every product you offer.

Case study 2: Dr. Squatch’s bold homepage

Dr. Squatch is a men’s personal care brand that offers soaps, beard oil, colognes, and more. Their site’s homepage hosts a carousel with clips sourced from the brand’s TikTok and Instagram pages.

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What’s important is that Dr. Squatch didn't shy away from embedding these videos on their homepage. That’s the brand essentially saying: ‘Here’s our audience. And here’s how much they love everything we do.’

It's a bold tactic, but one that paid off. Dr. Squatch reported a 9.9% conversion rate from video-engaged users. Even better, those viewers placed orders worth over 750,000 USD.

💡 Takeaway for you

Today, customers are tired of seeing heavy-handed corporate messaging when they visit a site. Hosting a UGC video on your homepage eliminates that problem while elevating the pressure on in-house marketing teams.

Case study 3: SOSU Cosmetics & its ‘top performers’ section

Founded in 2015, SOSU Cosmetics quickly became a global powerhouse, amassing customers across the US and Europe.

The brand has over 300 products in its lineup. But, in a saturated market like the one they operate in, that’s a problem. Their solution? A shoppable video section for their top products to convey their value proposition.

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These clips also act as step-by-step guides to walk buyers through proper application procedures and techniques.

Along with the other videos on its site, SOSU cosmetics reports a completion rate of 66%. Meanwhile, video-engaged site visitors had an average conversion rate of 9.9%, placing orders worth 750,000 USD.

💡 Takeaway for you

Considering how competitive the modern market is, product recommendations through bland banners won't cut it anymore. You must have a dedicated space to highlight your best offerings. It also goes a long way if you use this as an opportunity to provide value to your customers.

Case study 4: Apolla’s compelling testimonial page

You might remember Apolla from season 13 of Shark Tank US. Their customers, though, only associate one thing with the brand: compression socks.

Now, Apolla's site is a masterclass in how to use UGC videos for eCommerce marketing. Here's a look at their testimonial page that's bursting with positive reviews.

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These clips show people from entirely different backgrounds. Some are nurses. Others are dancers, hikers, and so on. This positions Apolla as the go-to brand for any kind of performance wear.

And the proof is in the numbers. Alongside the other shoppable videos on its pages, Apolla saw a boost in video engagement by 21.4%, with the average conversion rate hitting 12.9%.

💡 Takeaway for you

Written reviews can't effectively convey product quality or the impact you've had on your customers. But swap that with a UGC video where a buyer talks about how good your product is, and you've got a ringing endorsement that converts.

Case study 5: Tortuga Backpacks’ social media stumper

Tortuga Backpacks sat on an extensive library of UGC videos sourced from their social media pages. The only issue was that they didn't know how to use them. That is, until they decided it didn't matter how they used them, but only that they did.

Take a peek at one of the sections on their homepage.

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Apart from customer testimonials, they also have shoppable videos across all their product pages. These clips double as traveling tips and product showcases.

Source: Tortuga Backpacks’ product page

Together, the embedded footage increased the products experienced by each visitor by 16%. The average watch time per video even surpassed that of the ones on their TikTok profile.

💡 Takeaway for you

If you're confused about source channels for UGC videos, you only need to hit your social media pages to access a massive pool of content. And, like Tortuga, it helps if you don't stress about how or where you use them. Just pick the ones you like best.

Case study 6: True Classic’s thoughtful cart widget

True Classic is a direct-to-consumer men’s clothing brand that offers accessible, well-fitting everyday wear.

One place they've used shoppable videos is their cart widget. So, every time you add one of their products to your checkout list, you'll see visual content that includes styling tips, occasions you can use them on, and more.

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In short, True Classic gives you a glimpse of what you’re buying before you actually do. And this thoughtful gesture paid dividends in the end. In 2023, viewers who engaged with their videos had a conversion rate of 13%.

💡 Takeaway for you

There are a dozen different ways you can leverage UGC videos for eCommerce marketing. The best ones, though, prioritize helping buyers understand what they’re purchasing. And that creates a feedback loop—customers creating content to help draw more customers.

Case study 7: Busy Baby Mat’s careful content selection

Busy Baby Mat aims to simplify parenting. Naturally, their products include toys for infants, feeding utensils, bibs, etc.

That said, they’ve done something similar to True Classic and incorporated UGC videos right below the ‘add to cart’ button. What’s different is that Busy Baby Mat chose content that resonates perfectly with their target audience: busy parents.

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This isn't to say that one brand chose more relevant content than the other. It's to emphasize how important it is to align your material with your audience's buying triggers.

Busy Baby Mat understood this and adjusted their content accordingly. The result? An average conversion rate of 11.49% from video-engaged visitors, with a peak of 27%.

💡 Takeaway for you

Busy Baby Mat caters to a relatively small demographic and all their customers are temporary—as babies grow up, parents stop purchasing those products. Put simply, if you offer something niche, your embedded clips must hit your audience’s purchasing triggers every time.

Case study 8: Artsabers’ lesson on impulse buying

Artsabers came about because of one fan's love for the Star Wars franchise. Yet, individual interest can be difficult to share (or even sell) if others don't care for it. So, what did Artsabers do? They created a carousel to show all the people interested in the same thing as them.

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The clips are imported from TikTok. And they are all shoppable, meaning you watch the video, immerse yourself in the Star Wars mythos, and, when you're done, click one button to buy your favorite lightsaber.

To say that strategy worked would be an understatement. Sales from those videos generated over 1 million USD in revenue.

💡 Takeaway for you

UGC videos have massive potential when it comes to generating product hype. Capitalize on this and give your shoppers an outlet to exercise impulse buying. Artsabers did the same when they turned their TikTok reels shoppable on their site.

Case study 9: goPure’s rebranding with shoppable clips

goPure is a beauty and wellness brand committed to using safe and active ingredients in their products. However, when going through a rebrand, they were concerned about losing that specific aspect of their brand identity in the process.

They resolved that issue by using shoppable UGC videos to highlight real customer experiences with their product.

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Essentially, goPure said: 'We might have changed our look, and our site may even appear alien to you. But our customers are still the same, and so is their experience with us.'

The brand’s average engagement and conversion rate can back that statement. goPure reported a 12% boost on the former. Meanwhile, their conversion rates went up to 26%.

💡 Takeaway for you

If you're going through a rebrand or a transition, it doesn't necessarily have to mean losing customers. Do what goPure did and leverage the power of a UGC video to reassure and retain your loyal audience while you reposition yourself in the market.

Case study 10: Ava Estell’s mobile-friendly how-to videos

Ava Estell is a renowned skincare brand offering all-natural products. Now, they’ve embedded videos across their pages. But their standout clips are their shoppable how-to videos. One in particular generated 124,000 USD in revenue all on its own.

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More importantly, those videos were optimized for mobile and included the simple but essential 'swipe-up' experience.

So,  what did that get them? Over 4000 additional hours of time spent on site, 299,000 videos watched, and the ever-important revenue boost. Ava Estell added over 743,000 GBP to their sales.

💡 Takeaway for you

When using UGC videos for eCommerce marketing strategies, it’s crucial to prioritize mobile optimization. Most customers shop from the comfort of their phones. And if you skip on that, you’ll lose out on a substantial audience segment.

Ace the eCommerce marketing game with UGC videos

If you've been paying attention, you'd know these case studies are more than what they seem. Collectively, they tell you which pages benefit the most from a UGC video and what you should consider when embedding such content.

That aside, these examples also clearly indicate your primary source channel for such material and the one thing you should prioritize above all else—mobile optimization.

That said, if all of this has piqued your interest, why not dive even deeper? Explore more success stories and level up your marketing game with UGC videos!