Amazon’s video ad push aims to turn TVs into shopping carts

Prime subscribers will see commercials in movies and TV shows unless they choose to pay an extra US$3 (RM14) a month for an ad-free service. — AP

Amazon.com Inc, joining streaming peers like Netflix, Disney and Peacock, will start running ads on its US Prime Video service on Monday. Beside generating new revenue for its US$50bil (RM236.37bil)-plus advertising business, the ecommerce giant is betting it can persuade viewers to shop from their televisions.

For decades, TV commercials have inspired and influenced future buying decisions rather than impulse purchases, and that hasn’t changed in the streaming era. Flo from Progressive still dukes it out with Geico’s gecko to peddle car insurance. She’s just increasingly seen on YouTube or Hulu rather than NBC.