Amazon is testing a new feature that sends customers to other brands’ websites when it doesn’t stock the items they’re searching for. The retailer announced on Tuesday the launch of a beta test for a new Amazon Shopping feature that redirects shoppers to brands’ websites if Amazon doesn’t carry the searched product. For now, the feature will be available to a subset of U.S. customers using the Amazon Shopping app.
During the test, Amazon will display select products in its search results even if those products aren’t available on its platform. The search results will include links to brands’ websites, allowing customers to evaluate and purchase the items directly from the brands. Amazon ensures that the product information is regularly updated by pulling data directly from retailers’ websites.
These external links will appear alongside other relevant products sold by Amazon or its third-party sellers, without sharing users’ personal information with the external brands. A pop-up message will notify customers that they are leaving Amazon’s site to avoid confusion. Some brands that Amazon may redirect to will offer the “Buy with Prime” service.
Amazon testing external brand redirects
This service lets Prime members use their Amazon account and payment information to make purchases on the retailers’ websites, enjoying Amazon Prime’s fast delivery, easy returns, and customer support. Rajiv Mehta, Amazon’s Vice President of Search and Conversational Shopping, commented, “We’re continuously working to expand selection and make shopping even more convenient for customers.
We’re testing bringing more selection and brands into our search results to help customers find even more of what they want and further improve our shopping experience for customers.”
The feature will initially be available on the iOS and Android versions of Amazon’s mobile app, with plans for a broader rollout based on user feedback. Brands are being invited to trial the program and can opt-in or opt-out by emailing [email protected]. While Amazon says it won’t track customer interactions on brands’ websites after they exit the Amazon app, the company can still gain valuable insights from the data on which brands attract clicks.
This information could be used to guide future stock decisions and brands that Amazon might want to partner with. Over the years, Amazon has added various premium and luxury brands to its platform, such as Clinique, Estée Lauder, and Dolce & Gabbana Beauty. The new feature aims to further enrich Amazon’s offerings and provide a seamless shopping experience to customers.
As the e-commerce landscape becomes increasingly competitive, Amazon’s new initiative seeks to enhance customer satisfaction and maintain its position as a leading online retailer.
