It’s been more or less 7 months since people have gone to stores to shop for something. Many outlets are closing down for good while some are taking help of the virtual world to stay in business. Online shopping is booming more than ever, which even led to Jeff Bezos becoming the richest man on Earth during the pandemic. And now, the new normal is giving rise to the idea of “shoppable TV”.

The concept isn’t something new, it’s been around since the 1980s, but it is becoming more niche by the day so that you don’t actually get to call it advertising but subtle brand awareness. Netflix teamed up with brands on shows like Stranger Things, Amazon is conducting sales via Prime Day concert, and Disney is doing a version of it through its power as a stakeholder of Hulu.

But the thing is that, if Netflix keeps costume data of all its original series, the audience could easily get what they see on screen if there is a purchase service to do so. It may sound a bit futuristic, but if it can be experimented with by a brand named TopShop organizing a shoppable fashion show, streaming services can also easily look into this innovative style of sale.

As it was shown on Bandersnatch of Black Mirror, Netflix gave the viewers the chance to decide what the characters would do, just like an adventure game. And recently, Amazon made its debut in the fashion world when it did a collaboration with Vogue as well as the Council of Fashion Designers of America called “Common Threads: Vogue x Amazon Fashion” which showcased around 20 brands who are affected by the pandemic.

Also, the motion-tracking devices on the green screen has become very common anyway, And even NBCUniversal seems to be working on a similar idea as Josh Feldman, the EVP and head of marketing and advertising creative for NBCU, said that their latest streaming network, Peacock, may have a purchase function for the audience.

So, the idea doesn’t seem very far-fetched, especially when social-distancing is still being encouraged on a daily basis.