The YouTube and Shopify partnership just announced aims to create more seamless shopping journeys. And I’m already sold on the idea.
Let me start with a small confession. I’m a bit tech-obsessed. I regularly convince myself of the need for that shiny new piece of tech. And while the tech changes, there’s one thing that remains consistent. YouTube. It’s an intrinsic part of my shopping journey.
New product announcements, reviews, and even unboxings hook me right in. So I’m excited to see how creators will leverage new tools enabling them to display products and link storefronts to sell products straight from their channels.
YouTube + Shopify Partnership
The partnership with Shopify will help creators and merchants to feature products across their YouTube channels and content. Eligible creators can now link YouTube channels directly to their Shopify stores. The ultimate outcome is that creators and merchants can sell directly to the YouTube communities they’re building, while viewers can watch and shop more seamlessly.
14.4% of YouTube users have made purchases from the platform, compared with TikTok at 15.8% and Facebook at an incredible 57.8%.
YouTube is also moving ahead with live shopping, bringing additional tools for YouTubers to tag products during their livestreams. This development doesn’t come as too big a shock. In March 2022, the company announced 5 new features for live streaming, including ‘Go Live Together’ – a collaborative streaming service for creators. Read more about these pilot programs and enhancements in SearchEngineJournal’s article.
The Growing Live Streaming Trend
Live streaming ecommerce is a growing trend – and big business. In 2020 alone, Alibaba Group’s Taobao Live produced $61 billion in GMV. Throughout lockdowns, sellers adapted rapidly to reach shoppers despite physical barriers. Like many other technologies, live streaming adoption accelerated at a blinding pace throughout the pandemic, particularly throughout Asia. Shoppers responded to this new virtual medium of interacting in real-time while also being entertained and learning about new products.
As for where things stand in the western market, only 14.4% of YouTube users have made purchases from the platform, according to a January 2022 eMarketer report, with TikTok leading by a hair at 15.8%. Compared to an incredible 57.8% of Facebook users who have made purchases, the video platform still has significant catching up to do.
In 2020 alone, Alibaba Group’s Taobao Live produced $61 billion in GMV.
It’s clear that YouTube’s partnership with Shopify and its efforts to create more relevant, seamless in-platform shopping experiences are key to turning the tides of where online browsers become buyers. And those new experiences may be what propels the company’s streaming story forward in an exciting new direction.
While I’m looking forward to seeing how things evolve, there’s something else I’m not so excited about. My bank balance. When it becomes faster and easier to research and buy, will I even have time to reason myself out of purchasing that next piece of tech? Most likely not. Thanks, YouTube and Shopify.
