How Amazon Is Turning Streaming Into Shopping With “Shop The Show”

Amazon just announced the expansion of its “Shop The Show” offering, a feature available on Prime Video’s app in the U.S. that allows show viewers to instantaneously shop for items displayed on a show. This tool launched last year, but is now being rolled out to more than 1,300 titles including Barbie, Star Wars, The Summer I Turned Pretty as well as live sports events like the National Women’s Soccer League and NASCAR.

Why does this matter?

With brands seeking cultural relevance more than ever before, the ability to offer a seamless integration of shopping and entertainment takes traditional advertising to a whole new level, one that is definitely more suited to today’s generations of shoppers. Shows on streaming platforms often go viral and brands are slowly understanding the significant value of product placement as an effective advertising strategy, which makes shoppable content integration all the more relevant. According to Russell Research, 94% of adults have browsed, shopped, or made a purchase inspired by something they watched on TV. Given that these types of purchases are often impulse-driven, turning interest into purchase through the same platform only makes more sense. Indeed, 89% of viewers who are inspired to shop begin their search the same day—often immediately after watching.

Prime Video’s integration of shopping and entertainment echoes the likes of social commerce and TikTok’s blend of shopping within social media with its TikTok shop. It makes it easier for brands to capture interest and drive conversion in the same consumption moment, while making it a convenient experience for shoppers/viewers. “At Prime Video we’re always looking for ways to invent, simplify and enhance our customers’ experience,” said Michelle Rothman, Vice President, Shopping for Prime Video. “The magic of Shop the Show is its ability to allow customers to shop products related to what they’re watching without impacting their viewing experience.” Making it a mobile-only tool makes sense for the streaming giant, as a majority of viewers are simultaneously scrolling and browsing on their phone while watching TV. In fact, research shows that 89% of viewers have shopped or browsed products on their smartphones while watching a show, movie, or sports program. This type of behavior – consuming content for two screens at the same time – makes this offering quite complementary.

The reality is brands must understand that with today’s norm of being constantly online, every moment has become a shoppable moment. Media entertainment and social media therefore need to be considered as seriously relevant retail channels, where shoppers are mostly in discovery and can be easily influenced to make a purchase. Streaming platforms, just like social media platforms, can clearly benefit from it as a way to drive another lucrative revenue stream; but brands are also realizing the potential of such initiatives.

Last year, LVMH’s the world’s largest luxury conglomerate, launched 22 Montaigne Entertainment, in an effort to create a new marketing standard for how to blend brands and media through media placement. As shared before, product placement can literally make a brand explode and drive awareness and conversion to levels traditional marketing channels can sometimes only dream of reaching: think of Emily in Paris and the exposure fashion brands gained from having their jacket, purse or hats displayed on the show. Just season four accumulated more than 60 million views, giving Jacquemus or Augustinus Bader (a skincare brand that was actually integrated in the storyline) ample accrued brand awareness to enjoy.

Prime Video’s “Shop the Show” expansion is a strategic initiative meant to capitalize on viewers’ hunger for personalized, imminent shopping experiences. By offering curated products based on popular shows and livestreams, Amazon is delivering a seamless, fully integrated shopping option to its users, pushing yet again the limits of traditional shopping experiences.