Hajra Naz
Amazon is making it easier to shop while watching TV. On Thursday, the retail giant announced several new features. These will let customers discover products across thousands of Prime Video titles. This works through integrations with Amazon’s existing X-Ray experience.
Currently, X-Ray displays real-time actor bios, character names, soundtrack music, and more. Amazon will also introduce a new way to “shop the scene” using its Lens technology. Several other updates are included too.
These changes build on last year’s launch of “Shop the Show.” That’s a second-screen shopping experience available through Amazon’s mobile shopping app. Instead of interrupting the viewing experience, this feature worked differently. It took users directly to products tied to a specific movie, show, or live sports event. This happened when someone typed “shop the show” into the Amazon Search app.
This earlier feature was arguably easy to miss. These new updates aim to make product recommendations more visible and accessible.
Amazon joins several other services working on this same goal. Many companies are integrating shopping suggestions into the viewing experience. The goal is to create an additional revenue stream. YouTube has long offered creators a merch shelf for selling products. It also provides shoppable connected TV ads.
Peacock added a “Must ShopTV” feature back in 2023. That feature lets viewers buy products that appear in its content. Roku also offers a way to shop using its remote control. Disney has experimented with shoppable TV too. That includes streaming ads across Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN.
To shop through Amazon’s X-Ray, users launch the X-Ray experience as usual. This happens by pressing up on the Fire TV remote. From there, users can visit a new “Shop” tab. This tab showcases products related to whatever they’re currently watching.
To complete a purchase, users open the Amazon Shopping app. That app recognizes what’s playing on screen. It then displays a feed synced to that exact moment, letting users browse relevant products.
The second-screen experience beyond X-Ray has improved too. Previously, users needed to type the “shop the show” search request manually. Now, they can simply open the Amazon Shopping app while watching. The app automatically takes them to that title’s dedicated storefront.
From there, users can tap an image directly. This triggers Amazon’s visual search technology, called Amazon Lens. The technology identifies other products inspired by what’s on screen. That includes character outfits, home decor, and other items appearing in a given scene. This feature, called “Shop the Scene,” won’t always produce an exact match.
Characters often wear clothing that Amazon or its sellers don’t actually stock. That includes pieces from high-end brands or custom, handmade costumes. Still, it offers a helpful starting point. Users can find similar products to help achieve a comparable look.
The “Shop the Scene” technology is live today. It’s available on both iOS and Android in the U.S. It currently works with more than 600 titles.
The “Shop the Show” feature is also expanding significantly within Amazon’s app. It’s growing from 1,300 titles to more than 8,000 titles in the U.S. According to the retailer, this expanded catalog includes Prime Originals. It also includes select licensed favorites and live sports content.
