Did you know? The average American sees at least 4,000 ads a day. But shopping for the items they see in ads is a process, so they don't always follow through. That's why advertisers spend so much on converting ads to sales.
Roku and Walmart have made that easier. The streaming platform partnered with Walmart to bring shoppable ads to its viewers. But what does that mean? Continue reading to learn more about Walmart's shoppable ads and how they work.
Walmart Brings Shoppable Ads to Roku
Walmart and Roku have partnered up to make it easier and more convenient to shop products in ads while streaming. The announcement was made in a Roku blog post on June 16, 2022, which read:
Today Walmart and Roku announced a first-of-its-kind partnership to make TV streaming the next e-commerce shopping destination. Walmart will be the exclusive retailer to enable streamers to purchase featured products fulfilled by Walmart directly on Roku, America’s #1 TV streaming platform. The new experience offers product discovery with a seamless checkout experience, enabling purchase directly at the time of inspiration.
The partnership removes the hassle that comes with streamers having to shop products at a later stage. Instead, they can shop items within seconds of coming across an ad. As noted by Walmart's Chief Marketing Officer, William White, in the blog post:
We’re working to connect with customers where they are already spending time, shortening the distance from discovery and inspiration to purchase.
This makes Walmart the first retailer to offer a solution of this kind. It's a significant partnership, given that Roku has 61.3 million monthly active users in the US, according to Statista.
The deal exposes Walmart to millions of streamers and provides the retailer an opportunity to secure sales as soon as viewers are inspired to make a purchase. This eliminates the risk of them forgetting to buy the items or changing their minds after some time.
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How Walmart’s Shoppable Ads Work
Walmart's shoppable ads simplify the shopping experience. All you need is your TV and Roku TV remote. When you come across a shoppable ad with an item you want to buy, all you have to do is press OK on the ad.
You won't be redirected to Walmart's website. Instead, you will immediately go to the checkout, where your details are already populated from Roku's payments platform, Roku Pay. That saves you the hassle of entering your payment details with the Roku TV remote, which we all know can be pretty annoying. After confirming your details, you'll have to press OK to complete your order.
Walmart will email you confirmation of your purchase, and that's it; your order will be on its way. You won't have to walk into any Walmart store or be redirected to its online platform to complete your order. Nor will you have to whip out your credit card or phone to scan a QR code.
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Will We See More Shoppable Ads in the Future?
Walmart's shoppable ads use Roku's existing advertising technology, which means Walmart can both target ads and measure the return on its investment. It's essentially plugging into a working system and providing streamers with a way to buy products instantly.
That makes shoppable ads on a streaming platform like Roku a lucrative opportunity for advertisers, with Walmart's partnership with Roku being the blueprint.
If the strategy proves successful, more streaming services could cut deals with retailers like Walmart, providing more streamers with a faster, more convenient way to shop during their downtime.
Shop Walmart Products From the Comfort of Your Own Home
Nowadays, convenience is the name of the game, and the same is true for shopping. It's the reason why online shopping is such a hit. Walmart's shoppable ads on Roku take online shopping to a new level. They allow you to shop while watching your favorite shows.
They also remove the inconvenience of switching devices, going to an online store, finding the product you want, and punching in your credit card details. Instead, you can simply shop and continue where you left off without interrupting your downtime.