NBCUniversal today is introducing a new feature called Checkout, which allows users to buy products directly from content across linear TV, digital and social.
The company is building the new feature on its One Platform and it said that both local and national businesses will be able use the technology. When users see products they want to buy within content, they can now click and send directly to the NBCUniversal Checkout cart without needing to complete the transaction on a third-party e-commerce platform.
Checkout will work in tandem with NBCU’s other commerce products including Shoppable Branded Content, Social Amplification, Shoppable Editorial Content and ShoppableTV, which uses scannable codes on screen during live TV. The company also said that from now until the end of the year, it’s waiving technology and cart fees on ShoppableTV and digital branded content experiences and that its Creative Partnerships team cab serve as a production resource to help retailers create and distribute new marketing assets.
RELATED: NBCUniversal expands ShoppableTV ads across all channels
Josh Feldman, executive vice president and head of marketing and advertising creative at NBCUniversal, said in a blog post that the feature will hopefully help businesses that have been negatively affected by COVID-19.
Checkout will likely streamline the shopping and e-commerce features that NBCU has been building. The company introduced ShoppableTV last year and later expanded the feature to more of its channels.
“With ShoppableTV, we set out to change the retail and purchase vision, and it's just one example of how we are doubling down on our investments in new technology to bring mobile, commerce and TV together,” the company said.
In October, NBCU released some data claiming that the average conversion rate on ShoppableTV was almost 30% higher than the industry benchmark for e-commerce conversion and that the ads were driving fan acquisition in the double digits along with a 10% growth rate on social media.