A virtual paradise for the world's shopaholics
The ultimate vision is a form of shopping nirvana, where consumers can buy what they covet on the spot - straight from a magazine ad, or off a television screen, or even from a refrigerator.
MasterCard this week plans to announce a partnership with Conde Nast, the publisher of Vogue and Vanity Fair, that will allow digital readers to instantly buy items described in an article or showcased in an ad by tapping a shopping cart icon on the page. The partnership, called ShopThis!, will begin in the November tablet edition of Wired.
Peapod, a US online grocer that provides home delivery, recently developed a feature on its mobile app that allows customers to restock household staples by scanning bar codes with their smartphones at home. The order goes straight to the consumer's virtual shopping basket.
And Paydiant, a company that develops mobile payment platforms, has created a technology for scanning a QR, or quick response, code off a television screen. Such developments seem a natural extension of a culture that has immediate access to information, and more. "The whole world right now is about instant gratification," said Matt McKenna, founder of Red Fish Media.
And while many experiments such as ShopThis! are in the early stages, they have the potential to shake up traditional business relationships among advertisers, consumers and merchants as they gain traction.
The ability to sell directly to consumers could put more pressure on the middlemen of commerce, such as big-name retailers.
"If Sony started selling stuff directly on a TV commercial, [electronics retailers] might not like that," said Chris Gardner, a co-founder of Paydiant. "Once you can go directly to consumers, there's always the possibility of disintermediating one of the middlemen. Efficient markets don't like middlemen." Still, he and others say it is unclear what the effect will be, and established players like Amazon are unlikely to suffer.
Garry Lyons, the chief innovation officer at MasterCard, said the company developed the click-through shopping technology to be "digitally agnostic", meaning it may be made available across several digital platforms, including television, video and movies.
"We believe any device is potentially a device of commerce, enabling the user to buy what they want from within the content without having to leave the content," Mr Lyons said. "There is no reason why ShopThis! couldn't be rolled out when watching a movie or video. You see an actor who has a nice shirt on, you activate ShopThis!" he continued.
Mr Lyons speculated that one day refrigerators could be programmed to send alerts when milk or eggs are low or even send orders. Washing machines could do the same with detergent.
"The potential is endless," Mr Lyons said. "We're not trying to force people to buy things to drive them into debt but to make people's life easier. We want to use tech to make your life easier - in some cases that will result in a commerce transaction."
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
MasterCard has teamed up with Conde Nast to launch ShopThis!, a click-through shopping feature that will let digital readers buy items directly from within content by tapping a shopping cart icon. The pilot begins in the November tablet edition of Wired. For everyday investors, this signals growing integration of payments and media that could expand direct-to-consumer commerce and new digital sales channels.
Peapod added a mobile app feature allowing customers to restock staples by scanning bar codes at home with their smartphones; scanned items go straight into the virtual shopping basket for delivery. This practical mobile convenience highlights how online grocers are reducing friction in repeat purchases, which could boost customer retention and order frequency—key metrics investors watch in the online grocery space.
Paydiant developed a way to scan a QR (quick response) code off a television screen so viewers can initiate purchases from TV content. For investors, this is a sign that mobile payment platforms are exploring new frontiers beyond phones and apps, potentially broadening addressable markets for companies that power mobile commerce.
The article suggests they could. Paydiant co-founder Chris Gardner noted that if brands (for example, Sony) sell directly from TV commercials, it might reduce the role of middlemen such as big-name retailers. While the extent of that disruption is unclear, everyday investors should monitor how direct-to-consumer options evolve and how retailers respond.
According to the article, it’s unclear what the ultimate effect will be, and established players like Amazon are unlikely to suffer immediately. Investors should watch for adoption rates and partnerships—major platforms with scale may continue to dominate unless new channels offer compelling advantages.
MasterCard’s chief innovation officer Garry Lyons explained the technology is 'digitally agnostic,' meaning it can work across multiple digital platforms—tablets, television, video, movies—so any device could become a point of commerce. For investors, a platform-agnostic approach can increase reach and monetization opportunities across many content ecosystems.
Garry Lyons speculated that appliances like refrigerators could be programmed to alert users when staples are low—or even place orders—and washing machines could reorder detergent. While speculative, this vision points to a potential growth area where IoT-enabled devices trigger repeat commerce, which investors may want to track as an emerging channel for recurring sales.
The article highlights a culture of 'instant gratification,' as described by Matt McKenna of Red Fish Media, where consumers expect immediate access to information and services. This demand for convenience is a key driver behind technologies that let people buy directly from articles, ads, TV or apps—an important behavior trend for investors evaluating companies building commerce and payment solutions.
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