In 2017, Nike and Amazon announced a partnership in which the sportswear giant would sell its wares directly through Amazon in exchange for stricter regulations against counterfeiting.
The deal was regarded as a big win for both parties: Nike gained a better grip in regulating the sale of fakes from third-party sellers and official products bought wholesale by unlicensed distributors on Amazon. On the other end, the deal gave Amazon a sizable new source of revenue in the apparel and footwear market — a sector where the tech company was keen to expand its influence.
But last month, Nike announced that it was ending this agreement. For Nike, Amazon had not given the brand the control it sought — with Nike finding that it was losing out to unlicensed third-party distributors who would often benefit from superior reviews compared to Nike’s own listings.
Nike, instead, wants to focus on fostering its ongoing direct-to-consumer sales where possible — with a spokesperson explaining to media outlets that “as part of Nike’s focus on elevating consumer experiences through more direct, personal relationships, we have made the decision to complete our current pilot with Amazon Retail.”
Counterfeit goods on Amazon is an important issue. Almost 50 percent of
The deal was regarded as a big win for both parties: Nike gained a better grip in regulating the sale of fakes from third-party sellers and official products bought wholesale by unlicensed distributors on Amazon. On the other end, the deal gave Amazon a sizable new source of revenue in the apparel and footwear market — a sector where the tech company was keen to expand its influence.
But last month, Nike announced that it was ending this agreement. For Nike, Amazon had not given the brand the control it sought — with Nike finding that it was losing out to unlicensed third-party distributors who would often benefit from superior reviews compared to Nike’s own listings.
Nike, instead, wants to focus on fostering its ongoing direct-to-consumer sales where possible — with a spokesperson explaining to media outlets that “as part of Nike’s focus on elevating consumer experiences through more direct, personal relationships, we have made the decision to complete our current pilot with Amazon Retail.”
Counterfeit goods on Amazon is an important issue. Almost 50 percent of