YouTube and Amazon Form Major E-Commerce Partnership: Videos Turn Into Shopping Channels
A new partnership has been launched, bringing e-commerce, content creators, and retail together on the same platform. YouTube has included Amazon in its Shopping Affiliate Program, enabling eligible content creators to add Amazon products directly to their videos. The new system creates a more direct structure for the entire process, from product discovery to purchase, through video content.
Amazon Products Can Be Tagged Directly on YouTube Shopping
According to YouTube’s official announcement, eligible U.S.-based content creators participating in the program will be able to tag Amazon products in Shorts, long-form videos, and live streams. While viewers will be able to access information about tagged products and complete purchases, content creators will be able to earn commissions from eligible sales. Amazon had emerged as one of the retailers that creators most frequently requested to be added to the program.
E-Commerce Volume Grew 13-Fold in Two Years
YouTube Shopping’s global gross merchandise volume increased 13-fold between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2026. More than 1 million of the approximately 3 million content creators earning revenue on the platform have joined the shopping program. Meanwhile, the global daily watch time of shopping-related content has reached approximately 110 million hours.
YouTube Shopping executive Travis Katz described the partnership as bringing together one of the world’s largest online retailers with one of the internet’s most widely used applications. Katz also stated that while consumers previously discovered products by browsing store windows, video content now serves a similar function.
Retail, Fashion, and Beauty Products Enter Video Commerce
Under the program, a wide range of products can be featured in content, from technology products and home goods to fashion, beauty, and various consumer product categories. The platform’s existing shopping ecosystem includes major retailers such as Walmart, Sephora, and Home Depot, as well as small brands and direct-to-consumer companies. Shopping tags are reported to generate approximately twice as much engagement as traditional affiliate links placed in video descriptions.
Artificial Intelligence Enters Product Discovery and Tagging
Google’s artificial intelligence model Gemini is also being used to simplify product-tagging processes. Katz stated that, because the platform is one of the world’s largest search services, users rely heavily on videos for product research, and artificial intelligence technologies such as Gemini can be used in new shopping experiences.
The partnership provides content creators with a new revenue channel beyond advertising income while also increasing competition in e-commerce. Two years ago, TikTok launched a similar system through an agreement with Amazon, allowing users to access Amazon products through advertisements.