New Test Drive Live channel offers shoppable TV streaming
FreeCast is launching a "next-gen" shoppable channel.
The FreeCast streaming hub is debuting the Test Drive Live channel on Roku as well as its own service, before bringing it to additional FAST channel platforms in the coming weeks. Through FreeCast, the channel will be immediately available on Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Apple TV, Xbox, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and most streaming devices.
Test Drive Live features products that are popular on social media and retail platforms. Its shopping TV experience starts with "unboxing" videos that show consumers exactly what they get with each product, followed by a live and unfiltered demo, and then an expert review that is promised to be unbiased.
“This isn’t your parents’ cable shopping channels, instead it’s shopper-centric, and designed to inform ready-to-buy viewers on the products they’re considering,” said FreeCast CEO William Mobley. “Unboxing lets you see exactly what you’re getting, demos let you see the product in action, and an honest and straightforward review helps you decide.
According to FreeCast, this format reflects the type of information that consumers are most likely to search for when considering a product. Test Drive Live is built on the FreeCast FAST platform, and the company says products will often be offered below retail prices via direct partnerships with manufacturers and sellers.
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"Those are the experiences people actively seek out via Google or YouTube, and that’s very different from the infomercial-style programming you’ll see on traditional shopping channels," Mobley said.
New streaming TV channel to offer ‘Black Friday. Every Day’ pricing
Test Drive Live is debuting as another live shopping channel built for streaming TV is preparing to commence operations. Known as BLCK, the channel is set to launch in time for holiday shopping with the promise of “Black Friday. Every Day” pricing, and is looking for brands to join its lineup.
BLCK will air shoppable product shows and interactive deals across Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and Google TV. Every featured product on BLCK will be showcased through five-minute creator-hosted shows, 30–60 second promo ads, and placements in the channel’s 24/7 live TV loop — airing multiple times per day in prime engagement windows.
