Amazon now lets users show products from external retailer sites
What's the story
Amazon has announced an expansion of its "Shop Direct" program, allowing US customers to discover and purchase products not available on its own online store. The retail giant is now supporting third-party product feeds, which are used by merchants to share information about their inventory, pricing, and catalog with other partners. This move will enable Amazon to direct shoppers to a merchant's website through search results or its AI shopping assistant Rufus.
Feed providers
Amazon adds support for 3rd-party product feeds
Amazon has added support for third-party product feeds from Feedonomics, Salsify, and CEDCommerce. These platforms give Amazon real-time access to merchants' inventory and product information. The company plans to add more feed providers in the future. It is also said to be working on an Amazon merchant portal with a merchant-direct feed.
Program features
Shop Direct connects customers to retailers' websites
Began beta testing in February 2025, the Shop Direct program connects customers to retailers' websites when their search results don't show the desired product. The feature shows product information on Amazon but allows users to click through to the retailer's site for more details, pricing, and delivery options. Notably, Amazon has also integrated its AI agent into third-party merchant sites for completing purchases on behalf of customers.
Market implications
Implications of Amazon's move
The inclusion in Amazon could boost a brand's visibility and sales potential. However, it could also give Amazon insights into customer preferences for brands, products, and price points. This data could be leveraged by the company to enhance its own business operations. The move could also help Amazon establish itself as the go-to platform for product searches.