Imagine searching for a product on Amazon and instead of seeing only Amazon’s own listings or third-party sellers, you’re directed straight to a brand’s meticulously crafted independent website. This is no longer a distant vision. Amazon is gradually opening its platform to off-site traffic redirection, offering direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands unprecedented opportunities for growth.
Amazon’s Strategic Ambition: Becoming a DTC Brand Aggregator
This move is not a fleeting experiment but a calculated step in Amazon’s broader strategy to solidify its dominance in e-commerce. By allowing DTC brands to redirect Amazon’s vast traffic to their own websites, the platform not only diversifies its product offerings but also grants brands greater autonomy in managing their operations.
In April, Amazon introduced “Buy with Prime,” a service enabling Prime members to shop on external e-commerce sites using their Amazon accounts for checkout and fulfillment. Unlike the earlier Amazon Pay, this service handles order fulfillment, ensuring a seamless and reliable shopping experience. This innovation laid the groundwork for DTC brands to leverage Amazon’s traffic for their own sites.
“Buy with Prime”: Bridging Amazon and Brand Websites
Now, DTC brands can create “Buy with Prime” pages within their Amazon storefronts and use sponsored brand ads to attract shoppers. On these pages, consumers can effortlessly navigate to the brand’s website and complete purchases using Prime benefits. This creates a powerful new marketing channel, boosting both brand visibility and website traffic.
Challenges and Opportunities in Off-Site Redirection
While “Buy with Prime” opens doors for DTC brands, the current user journey remains cumbersome. Shoppers must navigate multiple steps before reaching the brand’s site, increasing the risk of drop-offs. The process unfolds as follows:
- Clicking a sponsored brand ad.
- Landing on the brand’s Amazon store page.
- Locating the desired product.
- Opening the product preview.
- Clicking the “Visit Website” button.
- Selecting “Buy with Prime” on the brand’s site.
Such friction undermines the shopping experience and complicates purchase decisions. Streamlining this workflow is critical for DTC brands aiming to maximize conversions.
The Future: Simpler, More Direct Traffic Pathways
Amazon may soon introduce more efficient redirection methods. For instance, DTC brands could place ads directly in Amazon search results, linking straight to their websites. A search for “queen mattress” might display an ad for Casper’s official site as the top result, bypassing Amazon’s marketplace entirely.
Even brands like Nike, which have exited Amazon’s marketplace, could use ads to redirect shoppers searching for their products to Nike.com. This would grant brands greater control over their marketing strategies while capitalizing on Amazon’s traffic.
Amazon as the Ultimate Price Comparison Tool?
In the future, Amazon could resemble platforms like Google Shopping, aggregating product listings across the web. Unlike traditional comparison tools, however, Amazon’s “Buy with Prime” ensures consistent checkout and delivery experiences. This could attract more brands to the platform and fuel growth in Amazon’s advertising business.
Yet challenges persist. Shoppers may struggle to discern whether they’re purchasing from Amazon or a third-party site. Clarifying this distinction will be essential to maintaining trust and usability.
Amazon’s Official Stance
Dave Lefkow, Amazon’s Principal Product Manager, emphasized the mutual benefits in a LinkedIn post: “Allowing DTC brands to reach Amazon shoppers during product searches is a win-win. Shoppers discover new products and enjoy Prime benefits, while brands gain a new avenue to grow their direct sales.”
A New Frontier for DTC Brands
As the default product search engine for millions, Amazon offers unparalleled first-party ad targeting. Some DTC brands already use Amazon’s Demand-Side Platform (DSP) to drive traffic to their sites. “Buy with Prime” further bridges Amazon and external e-commerce, unlocking fresh growth potential.
Notably, Amazon even purchases ads on Facebook and Instagram for Prime-enabled brand sites—at no cost to the merchants. This provides additional exposure, amplifying brand reach.
For DTC brands, Amazon’s off-site redirection presents both opportunity and challenge. Success will hinge on optimizing the user journey while harnessing the platform’s immense traffic.