Nike returns to Amazon after a six-year hiatus
After a six-year absence, Nike will soon begin selling products directly on Amazon, having previously stopped in 2019 to go it alone. At the same time, the company is reportedly set to increase prices across most of its sneakers and other clothes in the wake of recent US tariffs.
Nike stopped selling through Amazon after just two years on the platform, blaming the decision to end sales on Amazon’s inability to crack down on counterfeiters and unlicensed sellers. Just as pivotal was its desire to build its own direct-to-consumer sales platforms in the Nike app and website, which saw it reduce its other retail partners around the same time.
Nike goods have continued to appear on Amazon in the years since, but only sold by third-party sellers on the platform. According to The Information those merchants have been told that they have until July 19th to stop selling certain Nike products.
“While independent sellers have listed some Nike inventory in our store for many years, Amazon will soon begin sourcing a much wider range of Nike products directly to expand our selection for US customers,” Amazon spokesperson Megan Lagesse told The Verge. “We value independent sellers, and we’re providing an extended period of time for the small number of sellers affected to sell through their inventory of overlapping items.”
Nike’s direct-to-consumer strategy seemed to be working well during the covid pandemic, when online shopping spiked, but has wobbled since. In 2023 the company began restoring its relationships with retailers including Foot Locker and Macy’s, and new CEO Elliott Hill, who took up the post in October 2024, has made building back Nike’s wholesale business a key pillar of the company’s plans.
CNBC reports that Nike is also set to raise prices across its products from June 1st, likely in response to US tariffs. Adult clothes and shoes priced above $100 will rise by $2 to $10, though cheaper goods and children’s products won’t be affected. Nike will also avoid raising the price of its $115 Air Force 1 shoe and some of its Jordan-branded apparel.