YouTube makes it easier for creators to sell merch to fans
The Shopify team-up lets you check out without leaving a video.
YouTube is making it that much easier to buy on impulse from your favorite channel. The internet giant now lets creators link their Shopify stores, making it easier to snag merch. You'll know if a product is in stock, and you won't even have to leave a video to check out if a YouTuber is based in the US. If there's a must-have hoodie or yoga mat, you can order it moments after you see it.
You'll see the enhanced shopping from eligible creators — that is, they need to have at least 10,000 subscribers (or an official artist channel), monetization, a focus on non-child content and a largely spotless policy violation record. You can't launch your YouTube channel and store at the same time, then.
YouTube told Engadget it won't take a cut of Shopify-linked sales. Even so, the company is clearly hoping that the seamless experience will encourage you to shop through video pages. That, in turn, might spur creators to build up a large-enough audience that they can share a storefront and boost their bottom line. This might also help YouTube fend off competition from Instagram and others that already help you shop through social media posts.
