Dive Brief:
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Amazon now has an under-the-radar Video Shorts section in its Instant Video service, a YouTube-like collection of short videos with tie-ins to products available on its e-commerce site.
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The quiet launch may be due to the fact that, although the Video Shorts section operates much like YouTube, it features far fewer videos and with an emphasis seemingly on shoppability rather than usability.
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Amazon is also rumored to be ready to unveil a Square-like credit card reader, according to documents obtained by 9to5mac.com.
Dive Insight:
With these developments, especially if the credit-card payment reader is true, Amazon is continuing with its all-over-the-map development of new ways to reach into people’s pockets.
The video shorts section of its Instant Video service is hardly a rival to YouTube just yet. And the future of any Amazon credit-card reader is uncertain; a key question would be why any retailer trying to compete with Amazon would invite in Amazon hardware to its point-of-sale. But these moves are part and parcel of Amazon’s nurturing of an ecosystem where Amazon is there, no matter where or how a person shops.