According to The Wall Street Journal, YouTube has been working on an online store where you can buy subscriptions to various streaming services.
The Google-owned video streaming platform has reportedly been working on a “channel store” for at least 18 months and is currently in discussions with potential partners.
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YouTube already offers its $65-per-month streaming TV subscribers the option of adding access to additional services such as HBO Max. The upcoming store, on the other hand, will reportedly allow people to purchase a la carte streaming services from the main YouTube app.
According to the Journal, YouTube is pitching its platform as a great way for companies to market their streaming services because viewers can watch trailers for free on its website or app before easily paying for a subscription.
Partner companies will almost certainly be required to share their earnings with YouTube for purchases made on the video platform. According to the publication, YouTube is already discussing how to split subscription revenue with them, though the terms vary depending on the partner.
Despite the prospect of revenue sharing with partners, more streaming services are now open to the idea of bundling or teaming up. According to Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch, combining streaming services with other players improves the user experience.
It also exposes providers’ offerings to a larger audience, making subscribers less likely to cancel. In the case of YouTube, the app is already widely used and could offer paying users a single platform to manage multiple subscriptions.
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Making their services more easily accessible could help streaming providers survive what analysts predict will be a difficult year marked by significant user losses.
YouTube’s “channel store” could reportedly launch as early as this fall, though the company has yet to confirm that the project exists and that it is in talks with potential partners.
