You may soon be able to do your shopping on YouTube

WHAT if you could pick up that trendy coat or those fun sunglasses you saw in a YouTube video right then and there while you're watching? The video-streaming platform has launched a test phase to allow some internet users to discover and buy products placed in videos. A good way for brands and influencers, as well as YouTube, to capitalize on online product placements.

Will YouTube become an e-commerce site? The online video platform seems to be experimenting with new features to facilitate online shopping. According to an update on their features, YouTube has announced that it will offer some YouTubers the possibility to list certain products or items mentioned in their video thanks to a new icon that takes the form of a shopping cart.

Located at the bottom left of the screen, the icon will allow easier access to information about the products mentioned or seen in the corresponding video. Thanks to this new option, users will be able to discover other videos about the same products, and of course, buy them straight away.

For the moment, this test phase only concerns residents of the United States who have access to YouTube via the site, but also to Android and iOS applications. Only a limited group of creators will be able to be part of this test. YouTube has not indicated the exact number of YouTubers involved nor whether this new feature will also be tested in other countries.

More and more social networks are developing features to sell products directly on their platform such as Instagram or WhatsApp. While creators on YouTube could already promote items on their channel, this new feature could make product placement even more attractive for brands and thus generate more revenue for YouTube.