This podcast wants your money.
Would you listen to your favorite shopping newsletter?
Hi everyone. Hope you’re having an amazing Friday. If you saw my Instagram Stories, I’m on the search for an amazing screenprinter to help me make merch by next weekend for a Feed Me party.
I’d also like to say that I’ll be live-chatting during the next episode of Industry on Sunday night.
HERE IS TODAY’S NEWS:
Would you listen to a QVC podcast?
The New York Times is launching a podcast for The Wirecutter, the shopping vertical of the news organization. First reaction: I’m surprised New York Magazine’s Secret Strategist didn’t do it first (I would’ve loved to hear Nicolaia giggle and wax poetic on lip gloss, and Jimmy Butler break down his taste in candles).
Second reaction is that The Times took a real Car Talk approach to describing this show – they avoided shopping language, and stuck to describing The Wirecutter Show as a service and advice show. “The Wirecutter Show is rooted in the tremendous expertise of Wirecutter’s 140 journalists, who will provide so much practical and actionable advice from their work,” said Cliff Levy, Wirecutter’s deputy publisher. “Each episode is going to yield often life-changing insights that will help listeners who are grappling with a range of everyday challenges, from eliminating food waste to safely traveling with pets to figuring out how to unplug from your phone.”
But we all know that games and The Wirecutter are keeping a good portion of the lights on at 242 W 41st St. According to Axios, Wirecutter's email newsletter subscriber list has grown from 400k a year or so ago to 2.5mm today, and Wirecutter drove $1B in commerce through its product reviews last year, around triple the amount from 2019.
I think audio will work well for them – when I think of the number of times I’ve been influenced by podcast ads, it’s probably less than ten but more than three. It’s quite an intimate medium, and if these hosts have fun personalities it will work even better. Let the shopping podcast games begin…