Walmart expands streaming TV commerce strategy with NBCUniversal deal

Walmart spent the last year bolstering its presence in streaming TV. Now, it is adding NBCUniversal to its growing list of TV partners, with plans to air a shoppable experience during the holidays.

On Dec. 8, NBCU’s E! Online and Walmart will debut “LivE! Deals for the Holiday Season,” a livestream shoppable experience, similar to TV commerce shows seen on the likes of QVC. The half-hour special will be hosted by E! News’ Erin Lim Rhodes and Francesca Amiker alongside special guests who will share holiday gift ideas and tips, and include an array of Walmart goods.

This comes following a wave of streaming TV deals Walmart has struck in recent months: It partnered with Roku in June for shoppable advertising on the CTV company’s platform; made a deal with Paramount in August to bundle their Walmart+ and Paramount+ subscription services; and in October, Netflix announced it would roll out physical merchandise hubs within select Walmart locations.

Viewers tuning in on E! Online’s website at 9 p.m. ET will be able to submit questions live for the hosts as well as purchase products straight from the stream without being redirected to a different site. For those unable to catch the event in real time, it will be available on-demand via NBCU’s streamer Peacock from Dec. 10 through Dec. 22.

“The future of livestream shopping is bright, and we are continuously innovating to meet the evolving needs of our customers in new dynamic and immersive environments,” said Sarah Henry, head of content, influencer and commerce at Walmart, in a statement. “This season, we know our customers are seeking holiday inspiration at affordable prices, which is why we’re thrilled to partner with NBCUniversal to create an engaging and seamless shopping experience.” 

“LivE! Deals for the Holiday Season” isn’t Walmart’s first foray into livestream shopping. In 2020, the company hosted an apparel showcase on TikTok featuring popular influencers, and last year, Walmart took its products to Twitter for a live shopping experience hosted by Jason Derulo. According to the company, it has supported more than 350 shoppable livestream events this year.

NBCUniversal has also been eager to drive shoppable TV forward this year. The network integrated live shopping into its Peacock original show “Love Island USA” via QR codes, as well as into the physical and virtual extensions of its BravoCon fan event.