Starting today, consumers in Britain will have the ability to pay to own digital copies of BBC shows hours after they have been aired on the network. The aim of this plan is to earn more cash aside from public licences fees.

The broadcaster calls this spot the BBC Store, and plans for it emerged back in 2013. This move marks a huge step for the broadcaster as it makes its way into the realm of digital shopping. This move also follows in the footsteps of the iPlayer, but it is much more important.

The iPlayer streaming service was launched back in 2007 as a means for UK residents to catch up on previously aired programs at no extra cost to the user.

In the past, the BBC usually sells its shows on physical media, but while that aspect of the broadcaster's business won't come to an end, the new service will allow consumers to purchase the latest episodes just hours after they have aired.

We understand that users will have the option to purchase content from a dedicated website or the BBC iPlayer where the shows will sit alongside the 30-day free catch-up programs.

Here's the kicker: if a consumer decides to purchase a show via iPlayer that is still available via the 30-day free catch-up plan, the player will alert the user that it is possible to watch the show for free. This was designed to cut down on unnecessary spending.

As the BBC explains, the store will have over 7,000-hours of programming available on day one. Shows such as "Sherlock" and "Doctor Who" are now available as legal digital downloads for the first time in their history.

When it comes down to the cost, consumers can expect to pay from £1.89 (almost $3), for a single episode or around £8 (roughly $12) for a six-part series. The BBC will also shave 25 percent off the cost of each content in an effort to get more folks to use the BBC store.

Bear in mind that the BBC Store contents are only available to those living in the UK. However, in the future, the broadcaster plans to launch a Netflix-like subscription service in the US.