YouTube is arguably the biggest and baddest platform for music consumption. So why not leverage that power-position further into ecommerce?
Glad you asked. YouTube is now sharing details on Merch Store, a build-out that will allow artists to layer downloads, merchandise, tickets, and other items into their channels. The formal announcement happens Thursday in New York. “With 800 million people per month coming to YouTube you have a pretty big stage to share your music, and now we're adding features to also make YouTube your box office, merchandise table and music store," the company shared on Sunday.
Sounds big, and a really big deal for the early partners involved. That includes Topspin, which is powering the merchandising portion of the play; and Songkick, which finds itself powering concert ticketing, according to preliminary details. Amazon and iTunes are on the download side, and more partners are expected in the near future. We're not sure if competitors like Bandcamp will also be invited to this party, but let's see. Here's a peek at what the Pomplamoose Merch Store looks like, with Topspin and Songkick powering.
If you're in New York this week, the Thursday announcement is happening at the Mercury Lounge. Featured artists include Dru Ha, Buckshot, Portugal the Man, and Ryan Leslie, among many others. RSVP here.
