The Complete Guide to AI-Powered Product Videos for E-commerce
The Complete Guide to AI-Powered Product Videos for E-commerce
The Complete Guide to AI-Powered Product Videos for E-commerce
The Complete Guide to AI-Powered Product Videos for E-commerce
How brands are using generative AI to bring product visuals to life
How brands are using generative AI to bring product visuals to life
How brands are using generative AI to bring product visuals to life
Prompt
Prompt
Place the drill in a workshop on top of a wooden table.
Place the drill in a workshop on top of a wooden table.
Place the drill in a workshop on top of a wooden table.
What should the background look like?
What should the background look like?
What should the background look like?
You’ve probably been in a meeting where AI came up—on a panel, in a vendor pitch, or during a team discussion. The promise feels enormous, and many teams are already testing it.
You’ve probably been in a meeting where AI came up—on a panel, in a vendor pitch, or during a team discussion. The promise feels enormous, and many teams are already testing it.
You’ve probably been in a meeting where AI came up—on a panel, in a vendor pitch, or during a team discussion. The promise feels enormous, and many teams are already testing it.
You’ve probably been in a meeting where AI came up—on a panel, in a vendor pitch, or during a team discussion. The promise feels enormous, and many teams are already testing it.
But with product video, results often fall short: motions look stiff, lighting shifts, and product details lose fidelity. What seems like a shortcut can quickly turn into extra work.
But with product video, results often fall short: motions look stiff, lighting shifts, and product details lose fidelity. What seems like a shortcut can quickly turn into extra work.
But with product video, results often fall short: motions look stiff, lighting shifts, and product details lose fidelity. What seems like a shortcut can quickly turn into extra work.
But with product video, results often fall short: motions look stiff, lighting shifts, and product details lose fidelity. What seems like a shortcut can quickly turn into extra work.
AI has advanced quickly, but video for commerce is still catching up. This guide is here to show what’s possible now, where the limits remain, and how to use AI productively without undermining trust.
AI has advanced quickly, but video for commerce is still catching up. This guide is here to show what’s possible now, where the limits remain, and how to use AI productively without undermining trust.
AI has advanced quickly, but video for commerce is still catching up. This guide is here to show what’s possible now, where the limits remain, and how to use AI productively without undermining trust.
AI has advanced quickly, but video for commerce is still catching up. This guide is here to show what’s possible now, where the limits remain, and how to use AI productively without undermining trust.
Understanding the AI Landscape
If you’ve used tools like ChatGPT for text or Midjourney for images, you’ve already seen how fast AI can turn prompts into outputs. Behind every one of those interfaces is a model - a large language model (LLM) or diffusion model, trained on huge datasets to generate text, images, or video.
For video, the challenge is added complexity: motion, timing, sequencing, and realism. Tools like Runway, Pika, and Luma can turn stills into clips, while Synthesia and Descript add avatars or voiceovers.
Most platforms repackage the same base technology for different needs—some for creative play, others for brand teams that need accuracy and consistency. Before choosing a tool, ask: what model is it built on, who is it built for, and how well does it preserve your product’s truth?
How E-commerce Teams Use AI Today
For most brands, AI isn’t replacing creative teams, it’s augmenting them. The best outcomes happen when AI is used to extend good content, not shortcut it. Here are the most common applications:
For most brands, AI isn’t replacing creative teams, it’s augmenting them. The best outcomes happen when AI is used to extend good content, not shortcut it. Here are the most common applications:
For most brands, AI isn’t replacing creative teams, it’s augmenting them. The best outcomes happen when AI is used to extend good content, not shortcut it. Here are the most common applications:
For most brands, AI isn’t replacing creative teams, it’s augmenting them. The best outcomes happen when AI is used to extend good content, not shortcut it. Here are the most common applications:
Clean Up or Improve Existing Footage
Clean Up or Improve Existing Footage
Clean Up or Improve Existing Footage
One of the most mature uses. AI can fix lighting, upscale resolution, remove noise, or clean up phone-shot clips. Tools like Runway, Descript, and CapCut make this process efficient for large catalogs or UGC content.
One of the most mature uses. AI can fix lighting, upscale resolution, remove noise, or clean up phone-shot clips. Tools like Runway, Descript, and CapCut make this process efficient for large catalogs or UGC content.
One of the most mature uses. AI can fix lighting, upscale resolution, remove noise, or clean up phone-shot clips. Tools like Runway, Descript, and CapCut make this process efficient for large catalogs or UGC content.
Add Context or Style
Add Context or Style
Add Context or Style
AI can place a product into a lifestyle scene, swap environments, or add branded effects. For example, outdoor gear brands have used tools like Pika, Luma, and Kling to situate products in natural settings without full reshoots.
AI can place a product into a lifestyle scene, swap environments, or add branded effects. For example, outdoor gear brands have used tools like Pika, Luma, and Kling to situate products in natural settings without full reshoots.
AI can place a product into a lifestyle scene, swap environments, or add branded effects. For example, outdoor gear brands have used tools like Pika, Luma, and Kling to situate products in natural settings without full reshoots.
Animate or Build Simple Product Videos
Animate or Build Simple Product Videos
Animate or Build Simple Product Videos
Increase your visibility and ranking across search engines on marketplaces with PDPs enriched with high-quality product visuals and experiences.
Increase your visibility and ranking across search engines on marketplaces with PDPs enriched with high-quality product visuals and experiences.
Increase your visibility and ranking across search engines on marketplaces with PDPs enriched with high-quality product visuals and experiences.
What to watch out for
What to watch out for
What to watch out for
AI is powerful, but it’s not hands-off. Teams should approach it with a few cautions in mind:
AI is powerful, but it’s not hands-off. Teams should approach it with a few cautions in mind:
AI is powerful, but it’s not hands-off. Teams should approach it with a few cautions in mind:
AI is powerful, but it’s not hands-off. Teams should approach it with a few cautions in mind:
Product authenticity
Product authenticity
Product authenticity
Fine details like textures, stitching, or subtle surface patterns are frequently lost or distorted. The result may look polished at first glance but fails to represent the product in its best and most accurate form.
Fine details like textures, stitching, or subtle surface patterns are frequently lost or distorted. The result may look polished at first glance but fails to represent the product in its best and most accurate form.
Fine details like textures, stitching, or subtle surface patterns are frequently lost or distorted. The result may look polished at first glance but fails to represent the product in its best and most accurate form.
Licensing is murky
Licensing is murky
Licensing is murky
Some platforms don’t disclose their training data. Always confirm rights before using content in commercial campaigns.
Some platforms don’t disclose their training data. Always confirm rights before using content in commercial campaigns.
Some platforms don’t disclose their training data. Always confirm rights before using content in commercial campaigns.
True interaction
True interaction
True interaction
Actions such as pressing a button, folding, zipping, or opening a compartment rarely come across realistically. AI struggles to mimic the physics of real use, meaning the customer won’t get an accurate sense of how the product actually works.
Actions such as pressing a button, folding, zipping, or opening a compartment rarely come across realistically. AI struggles to mimic the physics of real use, meaning the customer won’t get an accurate sense of how the product actually works.
Actions such as pressing a button, folding, zipping, or opening a compartment rarely come across realistically. AI struggles to mimic the physics of real use, meaning the customer won’t get an accurate sense of how the product actually works.
Brand consistency
Brand consistency
Brand consistency
Logos, packaging text, and on-product markings often render incorrectly or shift between frames. This makes it obvious that the clip was AI-generated and undermines brand trust if used as-is.
Logos, packaging text, and on-product markings often render incorrectly or shift between frames. This makes it obvious that the clip was AI-generated and undermines brand trust if used as-is.
Logos, packaging text, and on-product markings often render incorrectly or shift between frames. This makes it obvious that the clip was AI-generated and undermines brand trust if used as-is.
Licensing is murky
Some platforms don’t disclose their training data. Always confirm rights before using content in commercial campaigns.
True interaction
Actions such as pressing a button, folding, zipping, or opening a compartment rarely come across realistically. AI struggles to mimic the physics of real use, meaning the customer won’t get an accurate sense of how the product actually works.
Your AI Toolbox: Building a Product Video Now
There’s no shortage of tools promising faster video creation. Some target broad creative markets, while others are highly specialized. Here are platforms that stand out for e-commerce teams today:
There’s no shortage of tools promising faster video creation. Some target broad creative markets, while others are highly specialized. Here are platforms that stand out for e-commerce teams today:
There’s no shortage of tools promising faster video creation. Some target broad creative markets, while others are highly specialized. Here are platforms that stand out for e-commerce teams today:
There’s no shortage of tools promising faster video creation. Some target broad creative markets, while others are highly specialized. Here are platforms that stand out for e-commerce teams today:
Each of these tools can deliver impressive results, but only with guidance. Used carelessly, they risk creating content that looks appealing but drifts away from the real product.
Each of these tools can deliver impressive results, but only with guidance. Used carelessly, they risk creating content that looks appealing but drifts away from the real product.
Each of these tools can deliver impressive results, but only with guidance. Used carelessly, they risk creating content that looks appealing but drifts away from the real product.
Each of these tools can deliver impressive results, but only with guidance. Used carelessly, they risk creating content that looks appealing but drifts away from the real product.
Mapping Possibilities and Limits
What's realistic today
What remains difficult
Cleaning and enhancing raw footage
Adding lifestyle context or styled backgrounds
Animating simple
clips
Repurposing existing content into variants
What's realistic today
What remains difficult
Cleaning and enhancing raw footage
Adding lifestyle context or styled backgrounds
Animating simple
clips
Repurposing existing content into variants
What's realistic today
What remains difficult
Cleaning and enhancing raw footage
Adding lifestyle context or styled backgrounds
Animating simple
clips
Repurposing existing content into variants
What's realistic today
What remains difficult
Cleaning and enhancing raw footage
Adding lifestyle context or styled backgrounds
Animating simple
clips
Repurposing existing content into variants
These limits are exactly why experimentation must be paired with oversight.
These limits are exactly why experimentation must be paired with oversight.
Where It’s Going - AI and Product Experience
Most AI tools today are used to create standalone assets, images or short videos that support a product page. But over time, they’re likely to become more integrated into how product stories are built.
Rather than generating content in isolation, future tools may help teams create entire sets of visuals that work together across formats. A single prompt could produce a gallery with stills, close-ups, motion clips, and lifestyle scenes, all visually consistent and aligned with the product’s actual features.
The shift will be subtle but important. AI will move from helping with tasks to shaping how a product is presented end-to-end. That level of control doesn’t exist yet, but it’s where the technology is starting to point. At Eko, we’re doing a lot more than experimenting with AI tools. We’re building a new approach to visual creation, one that keeps the product at the center and redefines what accurate, scalable content can look like.
Most AI tools today are used to create standalone assets, images or short videos that support a product page. But over time, they’re likely to become more integrated into how product stories are built.
Rather than generating content in isolation, future tools may help teams create entire sets of visuals that work together across formats. A single prompt could produce a gallery with stills, close-ups, motion clips, and lifestyle scenes, all visually consistent and aligned with the product’s actual features.
The shift will be subtle but important. AI will move from helping with tasks to shaping how a product is presented end-to-end. That level of control doesn’t exist yet, but it’s where the technology is starting to point. At Eko, we’re doing a lot more than experimenting with AI tools. We’re building a new approach to visual creation, one that keeps the product at the center and redefines what accurate, scalable content can look like.
Most AI tools today are used to create standalone assets, images or short videos that support a product page. But over time, they’re likely to become more integrated into how product stories are built.
Rather than generating content in isolation, future tools may help teams create entire sets of visuals that work together across formats. A single prompt could produce a gallery with stills, close-ups, motion clips, and lifestyle scenes, all visually consistent and aligned with the product’s actual features.
The shift will be subtle but important. AI will move from helping with tasks to shaping how a product is presented end-to-end. That level of control doesn’t exist yet, but it’s where the technology is starting to point. At Eko, we’re doing a lot more than experimenting with AI tools. We’re building a new approach to visual creation, one that keeps the product at the center and redefines what accurate, scalable content can look like.
Most AI tools today are used to create standalone assets, images or short videos that support a product page. But over time, they’re likely to become more integrated into how product stories are built.
Rather than generating content in isolation, future tools may help teams create entire sets of visuals that work together across formats. A single prompt could produce a gallery with stills, close-ups, motion clips, and lifestyle scenes, all visually consistent and aligned with the product’s actual features.
The shift will be subtle but important. AI will move from helping with tasks to shaping how a product is presented end-to-end. That level of control doesn’t exist yet, but it’s where the technology is starting to point. At Eko, we’re doing a lot more than experimenting with AI tools. We’re building a new approach to visual creation, one that keeps the product at the center and redefines what accurate, scalable content can look like.