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Entertainment-streaming platform Roku says a partnership with Shopify Inc. will provide viewers the ability to purchase products from Shopify merchants directly from their TV through Roku Action Ads.
It works like this: When viewing an ad for a Shopify merchant, viewers press OK on their Roku remote to learn more about the product and purchase it directly. The consumer checks out with Roku Pay and returns to the streaming program once the purchase is complete. An email confirmation is sent by the merchant once the transaction has been processed.
Roku Action Ads are any ads that provide a conduit for a consumer action, such as sending users a text, scanning a QR code, or making a purchase.
Roku says the Shopify integration is the first commerce integration for independent Shopify merchants on TV streaming. Among the first Shopify merchants to sell through Roku Action Ads are apparel retailer True Classic, wellness brand Olly, and rower merchant Ergatta. Other Roku Action Ads companies include Walmart Inc., which launched its ads in 2022, and DoorDash, which launched earlier this year. Shopify has 1.75 million sellers, according to Backlinko.com, a search-engine optimization firm, though Shopify says it has “millions” of sellers.
Payment and shipping details are stored in Roku Pay. This platform-based wallet can be used with the four major U.S. card brands, PayPal, Apple Pay, and with prepaid gift cards.
“Roku democratizes access to TV advertising, and now, we’re collapsing the funnel for Shopify’s merchants,” Peter Hamilton, Roku senior director of ad innovation, says in a statement.
