TiVo, Amazon launch in-show "product purchase" feature

Want that best-selling book that's getting featured on Oprah? Or how about the CD from the band that's on Letterman tonight? Both will be a click of your TV remote away, thanks to a partnership between TiVo and Amazon.

The New York Times reports that TiVo Series2 and Series3 users will now be able to instantly buy products promoted on talks shows like "Oprah Winfrey," "The Late Show with David Letterman," and even scripted shows like "Burn Notice" on USA.

The "Product Purchase" feature will work during both live and recorded shows, according to TiVo's press release. In the case of a live show, your TiVo would pause and record the action while you're completing your purchase or placing an item in your wish list.

How would the in-show ads work, exactly? For now, it's a little vague. From the press release, it sounds like you'll just press a button to see any for-sale products associated with a given show. But advertisers may also get to "merchandise" their products through "Interactive Tags, Gold Star Sponsorships, and Product Placement."

Whether that means an unobtrusive "tag" on Serena's purse in "Gossip Girl" or a big, flashy banner during a critical scene in "Heroes" is an open question.

It's easy to see why advertisers would jump at the chance to add "buy it now" functionality into TV set-top boxes, considering that more and more of us are simply fast-forwarding through commercials.

And in some cases, a "buy it now" banner during a TV show makes sense. There have been plenty of times when I've wanted to buy a book that's being promoted during "The Daily Show," and a "click to buy" button isn't all that intrusive when it comes to a talk show.

But what about big "buy it now" banners during "Lost" ("Click here for Sawyer's shades!!!")? Ugh.

Related:
TiVo and Amazon Team Up [The New York Times]