Roku has partnered with Walmart to bring you a new type of advertisement that allows you to shop directly from your television. Unlike traditional TV commercials, which focus on a single service or product, these shoppable advertising is more akin to online advertisements. Viewers who find something they wish to buy from the shoppable advertising can start the checkout process at Walmart by pressing OK on their remote. Their payment information from Roku Pay will be immediately supplied, so all they have to do is tap OK to finish their purchase. Walmart will send them an email confirmation with shipping and return information.
Since this is a pilot relationship, the shoppable advertising supplied by Roku's ad-buying platform, OneView, will only feature products fulfilled by Walmart. Of course, adverts have the potential to be obnoxious, but Roku's announcement hints that thanks to its advertising technology, it will at least offer ads tailored to its viewers. Future iterations of the pilot programme, according to the business, "will look for opportunities to build deeper commerce experiences that meet customers where they are".
One of the reasons T-commerce hasn't taken off is because it's simply easier to navigate online checkout using a mobile phone — as anyone who has ever had to enter in a credit card number using a TV remote will attest. It remains to be seen whether the Roku/Walmart partnership will be able to increase the number of individuals who make actual purchases as a result of TV advertisements.
Walmart CMO William White remarked, "We're working to connect with customers where they currently spend time, decreasing the distance from discovery and inspiration to purchase." "By partnering with Roku, we'll be the first store to offer customers a new shoppable experience and seamless checkout on their TV, which is the largest screen in their homes."
Roku's OneView connected TV ad-buying platform will have the unique power to activate and measure the shoppable commercials linked to Walmart under the terms of the agreement. "We're making shopping on TV as simple as it is on social," Roku's head of TV commerce, Peter Hamilton, said.
About Walmart and Roku
Walmart Inc. helps people save money and live better in retail shops, online, and through their mobile devices all over the world. Approximately 230 million customers and members visit over 10,500 stores and clubs across 46 banners in 24 countries, as well as eCommerce websites, each week. Walmart employs roughly 2.3 million workers worldwide, with revenue of $573 billion in the fiscal year 2022. Walmart remains a market leader in terms of sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and job opportunities.
Roku, Inc. is a company based in Los Angeles, California. Roku was the first to bring streaming to the television. It connects users to the streaming content they want, gives content publishers the tools they need to grow and monetize massive audiences and gives advertising new ways to engage consumers. Roku streaming players and TV-related audio devices are available through direct retail sales and licence agreements with service operators in the United States and a few other countries.
