Amazon is testing a new beta feature that could shake up eCommerce: “Shop Brand Sites Directly.” This update lets users discover products that aren’t even sold on Amazon but are available on brands’ own websites. 

When a shopper searches for an item in the Amazon app, they’ll now see both Amazon’s inventory and select external brand listings. If they click on one of these external products, Amazon will redirect them to the brand’s website to complete the purchase, with a pop-up letting them know they’re leaving Amazon.

Amazon says this feature is about expanding product selection and improving convenience, but let’s be real, this is a huge shift in how brands interact with the platform. 

The test is currently limited to a small group of U.S. users on iOS and Android, but Amazon has hinted at expanding it further based on performance. If it sticks, this could mean big changes for product discovery, advertising, and eCommerce strategies moving forward.

How It Affects You

This isn’t just another Amazon update—this could fundamentally change how brands use the platform and impact how eCommerce businesses approach Amazon vs. their own websites.

• More Visibility for Brands: Brands in the program get in front of Amazon shoppers while still driving traffic to their own websites. This could be a major traffic driver for brands looking to boost DTC sales.
• Direct Customer Relationships: Instead of sending customers through Amazon’s system (and losing valuable data), brands can drive traffic to their own sites, capture first-party customer data, and control the shopping experience.
• Potential Shift in Amazon Ads: If this feature grows, advertisers may need to rethink Amazon ad strategies. CPCs could change, and brands may need to rebalance budgets between Amazon Ads and their own direct channels.

Sounds great, right? Maybe. But there’s still a big unknown:

Amazon hasn’t confirmed whether brands need to already be selling on Amazon to get access to these external listings. Chances are, they do. Amazon isn’t known for giving away free exposure, so this will likely be an add-on for existing sellers, not a free pass for DTC brands to bypass marketplace fees.

Amazon is making a clear move to undercut Google’s dominance in eCommerce search. Right now, Google makes billions from Shopping Ads because users turn to Google first when searching for products. 

Amazon wants to shift that behavior by positioning itself as the go-to shopping destination—even for products it doesn’t directly sell. Shoppers already trust Amazon for buying, but they don’t always believe it has every brand or product option available. By expanding its inventory with external brand listings, Amazon is working to capture more product search traffic, making itself the default platform for shopping while leaving Google with the lead gen and informational search market.

Next Steps

If you’re an eCommerce brand, here’s how to stay ahead in case Amazon expands this program:

1. Stay Updated & Apply for Beta Access:
   • Amazon hasn’t shared how brands can apply yet, but watch for announcements and be ready to opt in if the program expands.
2. Optimize Your Website for Amazon Traffic:
   • If this feature rolls out wider, Amazon traffic could hit your site hard. Make sure your product pages, checkout flow, and mobile experience are flawless to capture conversions.
   • Consider building a dedicated Amazon PPC landing page to ensure consistency between your Amazon ad and your site.
3. Prepare for Advertising Shifts:
   • This could impact Amazon’s ad landscape. Be ready to adjust your bidding strategy and budget mix if external product listings become a bigger part of search results.
4. Track Performance & Conversion Rates:
   • If you get access, closely monitor your click-through rates, conversion rates, and user behavior. Are Amazon shoppers actually converting once they leave the app? Test, analyze, and adjust.

Amazon’s “Shop Brand Sites Directly” feature could reshape how brands interact with the platform and drive more traffic to their own sites. If it expands, brands will need to rethink their entire Amazon strategy—from organic listings to paid ads to website optimization.

If you want to stay ahead of the curve, optimize your strategy, and make sure your eCommerce business is ready, let’s talk. We can help fine-tune your Amazon approach, maximize your website’s performance, and adjust your ad spend so you’re not scrambling when this feature rolls out further.