WeView
An interactive video review platform that brings honest product reviews directly to retailer pages, keeping shoppers focused and informed.
01
Overview
WeView is a video review platform that connects brands, reviewers, and shoppers. Companies send free products to reviewers, who create honest video reviews. But unlike traditional reviews on YouTube, WeView's videos are interactive: viewers can click on the product within the video to see pros and cons, detailed specs, and go directly to the product page to purchase.
These interactive video reviews were embedded directly on retailer websites like MediaMarkt, bringing the content to where purchase decisions actually happen: on the product page itself.
02
The Problem
Product pages on major retailers like MediaMarkt and Amazon are dominated by photos and text reviews. But video is how people actually want to evaluate products: seeing them in someone's hands, hearing honest opinions, understanding the real size, feel, and quality.
The result? 67% of online shoppers leave the retailer's website and go to YouTube to watch video reviews before making a purchase decision. That's a massive problem for retailers: every customer who leaves the page is a customer who might never come back.
And YouTube creates its own problems. Mid-roll ads interrupt the review. Recommended videos pull viewers toward competing products or unrelated content. What started as "let me quickly check a review" turns into a 20-minute detour. The shopper gets distracted, loses interest, or (worse) finds a better deal somewhere else.
03
Early Exploration
Before touching pixels, I mapped out the core flows with sketches and wireframes: the reviewer upload experience, the embedded player interactions, and the shopper journey from watching to purchasing.
Sketching the editor flow
Early wireframes focused on simplifying the reviewer's upload experience by reducing inputs, clarifying the progress bar, and making the rating system feel intuitive. Notes from usability testing shaped every iteration.
04
The Solution
WeView brought video reviews directly to the product page. No leaving the site, no ads, no distractions. Shoppers could watch honest video reviews right where they were already making their decision, and interact with the content in ways YouTube never offered.
The WeView player embedded directly on a retailer's product page: no redirects, no ads, no distractions.
The reviewer experience on mobile: upload, edit, and rate products from anywhere.
05
The Interactive Experience
The core innovation was making video reviews actionable. While watching a reviewer demonstrate a product, shoppers could interact directly with the video, tapping on products to get more details without pausing or leaving. Here's the real widget in action on MediaMarkt's Galaxy S9 product page.
The WeView widget live on MediaMarkt: interactive video reviews playing directly on the product page.
06
The Reviewer Dashboard
Reviewers needed a fast, intuitive way to upload and edit their videos: add titles, descriptions, product ratings, and tag the products they reviewed. The desktop editor was designed to feel lightweight and approachable, even for creators who had never used anything beyond YouTube's upload page.
The reviewer dashboard: upload, edit, and publish video reviews with a simple, guided flow.
07
Value for Everyone
WeView created a three-sided marketplace where every participant benefited, including shoppers, retailers, and reviewers.
For Shoppers
They get to see the product in action without leaving the store or sitting through YouTube ads. They can tap on the video to see specs and pros/cons, then buy with more confidence.
For Retailers
By keeping shoppers on the product page, retailers reduce the chance of them getting distracted elsewhere. It's a way to build trust and increase sales without changing the page layout.
For Reviewers
They get free products to test and a platform where their content actually helps people make decisions, without having to fight for attention against YouTube's algorithm.
For Brands
Brands get authentic user-generated content right at the point of purchase. It's more about real-world honesty than polished influencer marketing.
08
Key Design Decisions
Embedded, not redirected. The entire experience lives on the retailer's product page as a widget. Shoppers never leave. This was the single most important design decision: every redirect is a lost customer.
Interactive video over passive watching. Unlike YouTube where you just watch, WeView videos are clickable. Products in the video become interactive objects; tap to see details, then tap again to buy. The video becomes a shopping tool, not just content.
No ads, no distractions. YouTube's business model depends on ads and keeping you watching more videos. WeView's model depends on helping you make a decision. The player has no pre-roll ads, no mid-roll interruptions, and no "recommended videos" pulling you away.
Trust through transparency. Reviewers received products for free but reviewed them honestly (including flaws). This was core to the platform's credibility. The design surfaced both pros and cons equally, because trust drives conversions more than hype.
09
Impact
WeView showed that the best place for a review isn't always a dedicated video platform, but the product page itself. By integrating interactive reviews directly into the shopping flow, we helped shoppers stay focused and well-informed.
The project proved that video doesn't have to be a passive experience. When you make a review clickable and actionable, it becomes a powerful tool that helps everyone in the marketplace: retailers see better engagement, and shoppers get the transparency they need to make a choice.