YouTube, Google’s video-sharing platform, is all set to increase its $15 billion revenue by turning it into a one-stop-shop destination. The $15 billion-a-year business that lets you watch product unboxing, cooking videos, makeup, etc. will soon let you immediately purchase them directly through YouTube.
“When you think about things like unboxing and product reviews, those are a natural home for transactions as well. I earlier mentioned about all the work we are doing now on commerce. All of that, I’m looking forward to those integrations coming into YouTube and working better as well,” said Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
The idea isn’t new, since YouTubers hawk Amazon affiliate links and earn a kickback from any click-through sales. But, having the option to shop directly from YouTube means that the middle man, in this case Amazon maybe, would be cut out with buttons for direct shopping.
YouTube shopping makes sense, especially in times of a pandemic, where people can buy things with a single click. YouTubers can sell their merchandise directly on YouTube without relying on a third-party. The online-platform is enormously dependent on advertising, so shopping on it seems like Google would hit the nail of the head.