Nike Returns to Amazon After Six-Year Hiatus to Rebuild Retail Partnerships

Nike (NKE.US) has officially returned to Amazon (AMZN.US), marking its reentry into the platform’s online store after withdrawing in 2019. This move is part of the company’s broader effort to reignite growth and restore relationships with key wholesale partners, including Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS.US) and Foot Locker.

The return is aligned with Nike CEO Elliott Hill’s strategy to reestablish collaboration with retail distributors. Hill has emphasized Nike’s “unwavering commitment” to its wholesale partners. In contrast to this approach, Nike’s former leadership had shifted focus toward direct sales, a strategy that ultimately led to a decline in overall sales performance.

A Nike spokesperson noted that the brand is “investing in our marketplace to ensure we offer the right product, best service, and personalized experience wherever and however consumers choose to shop.” This includes new digital channels, such as Amazon in the United States. Nike also stated it is enhancing its physical retail presence and improving its digital tools.

While some independent sellers have continued offering Nike products on Amazon, those items were not officially distributed by Nike. Amazon has now confirmed it will begin directly sourcing a broader range of Nike merchandise for U.S. customers and will provide independent sellers “additional time” to clear overlapping inventory.

Historically, Nike’s relationship with Amazon has been strained due to concerns over counterfeit and unauthorized goods. Brands have also voiced criticism of Amazon’s practice of launching private-label products that compete directly with branded merchandise.

Despite these concerns, withdrawing from Amazon presents significant commercial risk, as many consumers rely on the platform’s search engine for quick product discovery. Brands not listed may lose visibility and sales to competitors. According to eMarketer Inc., Amazon holds roughly 40% of the total U.S. online retail market.

For years, most Nike products available on Amazon were gray-market goods or potential counterfeits sold by third-party vendors. Nike lacked control over listings, product presentation, and verification of authenticity.

Nike joined Amazon’s Brand Registry program in 2017 with the intention of gaining greater oversight of its products, improving access to customer data, and enhancing its ability to remove counterfeit listings. However, challenges remained, as removed third-party sellers quickly reappeared under new identities. Furthermore, official Nike listings often had fewer reviews, affecting their visibility on the platform.