Accelerate your sales with the power of shoppable video
Table of Contents
In this episode of the Tekpon SaaS Podcast, host Cristian Dina engages in an enlightening conversation with Eitan Koter, co-founder of Vimmi, a pioneering platform in video commerce. Eitan shares his unique insights into the power of shoppable videos and the innovative approach his company is taking to revolutionize social commerce.
Eitan Koter begins by reflecting on his extensive business career, during which he has executed billions of dollars in business. He credits his success to the impactful leaders and organizations he worked with along his journey. For budding entrepreneurs, he offers crucial advice: innovate continually, understand the entrepreneurial challenges, anticipate objections, and engage with the community. Emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes, Eitan underscores the value of tenacity and the drive to keep progressing despite setbacks.
What does Vimmi do?
The story of Vimmi is rooted in a strategic pivot around four years ago, from the video commerce space to focusing on retail commerce brands. Despite its extraordinary growth to over 80 employees, Vimmi remains a bootstrap and profitable venture, co-founded by Eitan and Amdon Sherf. Their decision to bootstrap was influenced by their extensive experience and the desire to remain independent, investing their capital to maintain control over the company’s strategic direction.
Eitan’s collaboration with co-founder Amdon Sherf began through an introduction, leading to the merger of their respective companies and the formation of Vimmi in January 2014. Since then, the company has focused on helping e-commerce brands create shoppable video experiences, providing various packages to suit different needs, with the basic package starting at $129 per month.
Eitan passionately discusses the transformative potential of shoppable videos, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and experimentation. Vimmi’s approach involves providing brands with comprehensive data and analytics across all channels, allowing for adaptive video strategies in alignment with the brand’s lifecycle stage. High volumes of content are encouraged to gain insights into what resonates with audiences and what doesn’t, underlining the impact of authentic, genuine videos.
Vimmi’s platform stands out by allowing seamless integration with product pages from e-commerce platforms, enabling accessible publication to social channels, marketplaces, and websites. This synchronization supports checkout and shopability on TikTok, Instagram, Amazon, and more platforms. Additionally, Vimmi facilitates live shopping events, showcasing products with interactive “buy now” buttons, enhancing the consumer’s shopping experience.
Social commerce, defined as the ability to sell on social networks, is expected to grow substantially over the next decade. Eitan notes that platforms like YouTube are becoming more social commerce-friendly, recognizing the significant potential in impulse purchases triggered by engaging videos.
The story of Eitan Koter
Eitan shares his journey from consulting and technology integration to developing Vimmi’s SaaS platforms. Starting with consulting enterprise customers to generate initial cash flow, Vimmi managed an agile approach to product development, relying on customer feedback for continuous improvement. Vimmi secured large contracts and built strong customer relationships by partnering with local system integrators.
Concluding the episode, Eitan Koter reiterates the critical role of shoppable videos in modern e-commerce and offers practical advice for companies looking to invest more in video and social commerce. By embracing video as a powerful marketing tool and using platforms like Vimmi to streamline operations across multiple channels, brands can significantly enhance their sales strategy.
Eitan’s journey from engineering and software to customer-facing roles, bolstered by mentorship, showcases the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in achieving entrepreneurial success. His insights serve as an inspiring guide for anyone looking to innovate within the evolving landscape of social commerce.
Listeners are encouraged to contact him with any questions, benefit from his generous offer of discounts on the Vimmi platform, and consider tools like Riverside software for efficient post-production needs.
