Last year, YouTube announced the ability for its music partners to begin selling merchandise, digital downloads and event tickets through a new YouTube feature called the Merch Store. Today, the company is expanding that effort and is making the option available to all YouTube partners, not just musicians.
Also rolling out today, is a new merchandise provider, which will help beef up YouTube video producers’ Merch Store offerings: CafePress.
With the initial rollout of the Merch Store in October 2011, YouTube announced partnerships with a number of companies, including Topspin for merchandise sales, concert tickets and experiences, Songkick for concert tickets, plus iTunes and Amazon for music downloads. Google Play is also now involved, of course.
The Merch Store feature was gradually rolled out to YouTube music partners following the announcement, and YouTube then began taking a small, undisclosed cut of merchandise sales. Artists, however, see the same revenue no matter if they went through the Merch Store or through the affiliate on other channels, YouTube said. That same deal holds true today.
Starting now, and again, gradually rolling out over the next few months, the same Merch Store feature will arrive on YouTube partners’ channel pages under a new tab called “Store.” This will become available to partners in good standing, YouTube says – meaning those whose AdSense accounts are properly linked to their YouTube accounts.
You can see the Merch Store live now on the following channels: Pomplamoose, Geek & Sundry and DeStorm.