Shopping straight from the sofa, one press of the remote and the product from the ad lands in your cart. Under labels like shoppable TV and commerce CTV, this picture is currently being sold as the future of television advertising, most recently in a commerce CTV whitepaper by the consultancy polarisfactor. The idea is appealing. But it is worth looking soberly at the numbers before building a strategy on it. And the primary data tells a different story than the hype.
One note upfront: the reliable studies on this come from the US. The underlying behaviour patterns carry over, the exact figures do not.
The appeal: shopping with the remote
Interest is clearly there. According to the Shoppable TV Report 2025 by LG Ad Solutions, a CTV advertising provider, 43 percent of respondents wish they could shop via their TV. And the ad industry is investing too: according to a survey by the IAB (December 2024), 38 percent of US ad buyers are putting more money into shoppable ads in 2025. On paper, that looks like a clear trend.
The gap: a lot of intent, little buying
Here is the catch. There is a wide gap between wanting and doing. While 43 percent wish they could shop via TV, only around 10 percent of US adults have actually bought something through a shoppable feature on a CTV platform. That figure comes from a survey by eMarketer and Bizrate Insights (October 2024).
According to eMarketer, the gap may be down to missing technology, but also to the fact that self-reported answers tend to overstate actual behaviour. What people say in a survey, they do not necessarily do on the couch. That is why intent figures should be treated with caution.
Why the purchase usually happens elsewhere
The main reason for the gap is a different one: the actual purchase does not happen on the TV at all, but on the phone. Around 69 percent of US viewers prefer to buy what they saw on TV using their smartphone or tablet (eMarketer and Shopsense AI, August 2024). That fits with LG Ad Solutions finding that 71 percent of CTV viewers keep their phone within reach anyway.
So the TV inspires, and the second device closes the sale. The buy button on the TV itself is more of a nice add-on than the actual mechanism. Anyone planning streaming advertising purely for the in-TV purchase function is optimising for a path almost no one uses today.
What CTV demonstrably delivers
That does not mean video advertising is ineffective, quite the opposite. Its strength simply lies elsewhere than in the direct click. According to LG Ad Solutions, 79 percent say TV advertising influences their purchase decisions, and 47 percent have actually bought something after a TV ad, just not on the TV itself. The value lies in influence and impulse, not in the purchase function.
And what triggers that influence is measurable too. The most important purchase drivers, according to LG Ad Solutions, are discounts and promotions (57 percent), product features (42 percent), demonstrations (36 percent) and appealing visuals (32 percent). It is not the technical gimmick that decides, but a clear message with a good offer.
What this means for you as a business
The lesson is reassuring. For effective streaming advertising, you do not need complex shoppable technology or a buy button on the TV. You need what CTV demonstrably does: reach the right people on the big screen with full attention, influence their purchase decision and meet them for the sale on the path they take anyway, usually the smartphone.
That is exactly what a self-service platform like onescreen is built for. You target precisely by region, age, gender and interests, run your spot with a clear message and a concrete offer on the big screen, and direct attention to where the buying happens. Why it is not sheer reach but relevant, attentive presence that counts is explored in the article Attention Over Reach. What connected TV actually is, is explained in the overview What is CTV advertising. And how precisely it can be targeted regionally is shown in the article on regional targeting in streaming TV.
Conclusion
Shoppable TV will grow, and at some point buying via the TV will feel more natural. Today, though, the value of streaming advertising is not in the buy button that almost no one presses, but in attention and influence on the biggest screen in the house. Build the demand there, and let people buy where they already do. That is the understated but effective strategy.
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FAQ
Can you shop directly via the TV? Such shoppable features exist technically, but are barely used. In the US, LG Ad Solutions found that 43 percent wish they could shop via TV, but according to eMarketer and Bizrate Insights only around 10 percent actually have. The real purchase usually happens on the smartphone.
Do QR codes work in TV advertising? In surveys, willingness is high, with many viewers saying they would scan a QR code to buy. But that is a stated intention, and the purchase is usually completed on the phone. QR codes are a possible add-on, not the core of an effective campaign.
What is the point of CTV advertising if almost no one buys directly through it? Its value comes from influence and attention. According to LG Ad Solutions, 79 percent say TV advertising influences their purchase decisions, and 47 percent bought something after a spot. The big screen builds demand, and the sale then happens through other channels.
What matters most in the advertising itself? A clear message with a good offer. The strongest purchase drivers, according to LG Ad Solutions, are discounts and promotions (57 percent), product features (42 percent), demonstrations (36 percent) and appealing visuals (32 percent), not technical gimmicks.