Amazon expands a program that lets customers shop from other retailers’ sites

Amazon is expanding its Shop Direct program, which enables U.S. customers to discover and purchase items not sold directly on Amazon. The expansion includes support for third-party product feeds from providers like Feedonomics, Salsify, and CEDCommerce, allowing Amazon to access real-time inventory and pricing data from external merchants. When a customer searches for a product not available on Amazon, they can be directed to the retailer's website to complete the purchase, with notifications ensuring they know they are leaving Amazon. Furthermore, Amazon's AI shopping assistant, Rufus, can now use its "Buy for Me" feature to complete purchases on these third-party merchant sites on the customer's behalf. While this boosts brand exposure for retailers, it also potentially gives Amazon valuable insights into competing products and market trends, helping solidify Amazon as the primary starting point for product searches. Customers can track these external orders within their Amazon account.

(Source：TechCrunch)