Spotify starts selling cosmetics

PanARMENIAN.Net - In 2016, Spotify contrived to lose around $568 million, which is a lot of dough for a streaming service fighting against far-richer rivals. Consequently, the company is hoping to earn a fast buck or twelve by getting into the cosmetics retail game. Spotify is extending its merchandising operation not just to include t-shirts from your favorite artists, but the makeup that they're using to look on-point this season, Engadget reports.

The first entry in this new business is a tie-up with beauty brand Pat McGrath Labs, which is selling a collection exclusively through the music service. McGrath is the makeup provider of choice for singer-songwriter Maggie Lindemann, and the pairing will offer lipsticks and lip pencils, as well as eye pallets and pencils. All users need to do is head over to Lindemann's artist page, and scroll down to her Merchbar to find what's on offer.

This form of cross-brand cross-pollination is an ever-increasing aspect of how businesses and individuals make money online. The FTC-troubling Kardashians often hawk products on their Instagram pages and YouTubers earn commission on products that they endorse. All of this creates a feedback loop whereby social media stars burnish their own brands as they become pitch-people for the gear they're hawking. This deal, as well, helps promote Lindemann's next single, Obsessed, which drops November 17th.

It makes sense, too, since there are plenty of cosmetics companies, all looking for ways of carving a niche for their fans. Why buy the generic store brand if you can grab the eye palette or lip pencil of your social media / musical icons? Although it'll be very interesting to see how many other artists -- beyond Rihanna -- jump on this new business line -- we're looking forward to seeing what Tom Waits offers up, Engadget says.