According to people familiar with the subject, the goal is to turn YouTube into a vast interactive catalog of products that users can purchase without leaving the service. To expand the trading capabilities of the platform, Google is testing integrations with Shopify Inc.

A YouTube spokesman said the company is testing new features on a limited number of channels. He stated that content creators will be able to control the display of purchase links for displayed products. The company calls this an experiment and declines to give details. However, it is clear that such a move could turn YouTube from an advertising giant into a serious competitor to e-commerce leaders like Amazon and Alibaba. However, it is not yet clear how YouTube will benefit from sales.

Google has attempted to enter the online trading market in the past, but with limited success. The search giant continues to make its main profit from advertising. It is likely that Google’s new intentions are related to the fact that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, more and more purchases began to be made on the Internet. Recent research by marketers at RBC Capital has identified “social commerce” as a very promising area where Facebook and Pinterest are particularly successful. Google, apparently, decided to keep up with the competition.

For months, Google executives have made it clear that YouTube will be the centerpiece of the company’s e-commerce strategy. Google CEO Sundar Pichai noted that a slew of popular product unboxing videos can be easily turned into an interactive product catalog with quick shopping options.