Amazon Could Meld Shopping With Live Videos

Amazon, the eCommerce giant that is in hiring mode in New York, is looking to add positions to one of its startups that puts videos into online shopping.

According to a report from CNBC, one job posting was for Amazon Live, the video startup. The company is looking for an experienced designer who “leverages interactive streaming video to create new shopping experiences for customers.”

“This is a strategic initiative for the company with strong buy-in from top management,” the posting said. CNBC noted that there are currently only a handful of products that fall under the Amazon Live category and almost all of them are beauty products, which would be a natural extension for videos.

The company already has how-to videos on the company’s platform, covering everything from home improvements to gadget reviews. Some, noted CNBC, seem like advertisements, while others are hosted by various professionals, from makeup artists to journalists. The majority of the tutorial videos are not interactive, but the job posting implies the company is looking to create live, interactive videos, noted CNBC.

The unit, which Amazon doesn’t talk much about, could signal that it is gearing up to make a bigger push into offering features inspired by social media. It’s also recruiting YouTube channels to sell Amazon products via its influencers program, reported CNBC.

This wouldn’t be the first time the eCommerce company toyed with video to sell products, namely beauty products and apparel. Last year, it rolled out Style Code Live, a daily livestream that was cancelled in May. Some of the episodes can be found on the Amazon Live channel, reported CNBC.

The potential move on Amazon’s part comes at a time when social media companies, namely Facebook and Twitter, are expanding into live video as a new way to capture advertising dollars. Both are investing money and resources to become the place to watch live videos.