YouTube will let creators sell products directly through a Shopify partnership

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The ability to link storefronts and sell products directly on the platform is one of the new shopping features for creators.

In a post published today, YouTube says it will allow creators to show products throughout their channels, like below videos, during livestreams, or at the end of videos. It will be possible for viewers to see if something is out of stock. US-based creators will be able to enable on-site checkout on the platform, which will allow viewers to purchase products directly on the platform.

Beginning next week, a section of the Explore tab will be dedicated to displaying shoppable content for US, Brazilian, and Indian users.

livestream shopping is one of the things that YouTube is pushing forward with. In countries like China, where live shopping is popular, platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and eBay have introduced similar features. There could be some results. The live shopping expansion of TikTok is being scaled back in Europe and the US due to lagging demand.

The goal of the new features is to make it easier for users to find and buy things on the site. Other platforms would like to join as well. Shoppers will be able to place orders for products via direct messages with businesses, as well as track their orders and ask questions in the same thread, thanks to an announcement this week by the photo sharing website.