American sports shoe brand Nike has decided to resume cooperation with e-commerce platform Amazon, opening a direct store on the platform to sell its products. This marks a significant move as the two companies are partnering again after six years.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday (May 21) that they will be purchasing products directly from Nike and supplying them directly through Amazon.
For Amazon, this move is seen as a victory in winning back a globally renowned brand. At the same time, for Nike, which has been striving to boost its flagging sales, it signifies an important step forward.
Nike started selling on Amazon in 2017 but ended the partnership with the platform two years later due to issues such as counterfeit products and unauthorized sellers. It is reported that even before Nike started selling on Amazon, they had long complained about these issues and set conditions for cooperation – Amazon must strictly regulate these problems.
Following the split, Nike decided to focus on a direct-to-consumer sales model.
While Nike products are still sold on Amazon, they are mostly sold by independent sellers. According to The Information, Amazon notified some merchants this week that they will be prohibited from selling certain Nike products starting from July 19, as Amazon has partnered directly with Nike.
In a statement to merchants, Amazon wrote, “By directly partnering with Nike to purchase products, we can offer more products that customers love, ensuring sufficient inventory, competitive prices, and fast delivery.”
The Amazon spokesperson also added, “Although independent sellers have been selling some Nike products on our platform for years, Amazon will soon begin directly sourcing a wider range of Nike products to expand choices for American customers. We value independent sellers and will provide ample time for the few affected sellers to clear their inventory.”
Nike experienced a significant decline in sales in 2024 and replaced its CEO in October.
The new CEO, Elliott Hill, restructured the executive team and personally met with retailers that Nike had previously turned down, including Dick’s Sporting Goods and Foot Locker.
A Nike spokesperson stated that they are investing in the market to ensure that they can provide consumers with suitable products, the best service, and personalized experiences, including expanding sales to new digital platforms like Amazon.
The spokesperson also mentioned that Nike has opened new physical stores, such as setting up counters at luxury department store Printemps and introducing AI search functions in its online store.
However, Nike remains concerned about the issue of counterfeit goods on Amazon. According to The Information, sources revealed that internal Nike personnel believe that the problem of counterfeiting on Amazon has worsened rather than improved since the split in 2019.
Amazon is a major retailer for clothing and footwear, but the mixing of brand and third-party seller products on its platform has made it challenging to attract certain high-end brands.
Nevertheless, the size of Amazon makes it difficult for brands to ignore. For instance, Nike’s competitor Adidas has been selling multiple products on Amazon and earlier this year announced the addition of Amazon’s brand checkout and logistics services for some products sold on its official website and app.
Despite these dynamics, Amazon’s scale means that few brands can afford to overlook the platform. For example, Nike’s main competitor, Adidas, sells a wide range of products on Amazon and earlier this year indicated that some of its web sales will incorporate Amazon’s checkout and shipping services.