After more than five years away, Nike is officially returning to Amazon. At the same time, the company is raising prices across many of its products starting June 1, with some shoes increasing by up to $10.
Why this matters: Nike pulled out of Amazon in 2019 to focus on its own DTC (direct-to-consumer) strategy. That move didn’t deliver the expected results. Sales are down 9% globally, with a sharp 17% drop in China. This was a huge experiment for the entire industry. Respect for taking the risk! Now, with a new CEO, Elliott Hill, Nike is pivoting back to marketplaces and wholesale partnerships.
- Nike will again sell directly on Amazon (previously only third-party sellers listed Nike products).
- Nike is a gated brand on Amazon. This means most third-party sellers need approval (ungating) to sell Nike items. Amazon will ban some merchants from selling certain Nike products starting July 19. Affected sellers were notified and given time to sell remaining stock.
- Prices will go up on many items:
- +$5 on shoes priced between $100–$150
- +$10 on shoes over $150
- Kids’ items, products under $100, Air Force 1s, and Jordan-branded gear will not increase.
- Nike is expanding retail presence (e.g., Printemps, Urban Outfitters concept store).
- CEO Elliott Hill is pushing new products, like Air Max and a collaboration with Skims.
- Nike stock is down nearly 20% this year.
What online sellers can learn from this:
- Marketplace presence matters – Even top brands need Amazon to scale. Don’t underestimate marketplace visibility.
- DTC has limits – Owning the customer is great, but reach still wins. Nike learned this the hard way.
- Adapt fast – Nike is correcting course quickly with leadership and product changes. Agility beats stubborn strategies.
- Price increases can work – But only if paired with clear value, selective SKUs, and strong brand equity.
- Amazon isn’t going anywhere – Even for giants who once walked away.
For sellers, this is a signal: re-evaluate your channel strategy. If Nike needs Amazon, maybe you do too.
