Amazon has introduced new shopping tools on Prime Video, expanding its X-Ray feature and adding a visual search function called ‘Shop the Scene’.
According to the announcement, the changes build on the company's existing X-Ray feature, which already provides real-time information such as actor biographies, character names, and soundtrack details, and extend the shopping experience introduced through last year's ‘Shop the Show’ launch.
Viewers can access the new shopping options by launching X-Ray as usual, by pressing up on the Fire TV remote, and selecting a new Shop tab that displays products related to the content being viewed. To complete a purchase, users open the Amazon Shopping app, which recognises the title playing and shows a feed of related products synced to that moment in the programme.
The company has also simplified its second-screen shopping flow. Previously, viewers needed to type a ‘shop the show’ request into the Amazon Shopping app to reach related products. Under the update, opening the app while a title is playing takes users directly to that programme's storefront, removing the need for a manual search.
Shop the Scene and visual search
A new feature, ‘Shop the Scene’, uses Amazon's Lens visual search technology to identify products related to items appearing on screen, including clothing and home decor associated with characters. Amazon has noted that the tool will not always surface exact matches, since some items shown in productions are not sold by Amazon or its sellers, including pieces from high-end labels or custom-made costumes. Furthermore, the company positions the feature as a starting point for finding similar products rather than a guarantee of an exact match.
‘Shop the Scene’ is available on iOS and Android in the US and currently supports more than 600 titles. Meanwhile, the ‘Shop the Show’ feature is expanding from 1.300 to more than 8.000 titles in the US, covering Prime Originals, licensed content, and live sports.
Industry context
Amazon's update reflects a broader trend among streaming and connected TV platforms to integrate commerce into viewing experiences as an additional revenue channel. YouTube has offered creators merchandise shelves and shoppable connected TV advertising, while Peacock introduced its Must ShopTV feature in 2023. Roku has enabled purchases from Shopify merchants through its remote, and Disney has tested shoppable formats across Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN. Amazon's expansion signals continued competition among major media and retail platforms to convert viewing attention into direct purchasing activity, integrating retail and entertainment more closely within a single application experience.
