Amazon’s Next Big Move: Advertising Beyond Its Own Marketplace

Amazon is making big steps in the retail media world and on this occasion going beyond their owned and operated websites. The tech giant are now beginning to allow advertisers to buy advertising on other retailers’ websites, offering benefits for both retailers and themselves.

For years, Amazon Ads has been the gold standard for retail media. Its unparalleled access to consumer data and sophisticated advertising capabilities have made it a favorite among brands. But now, Amazon is moving beyond its roots through creating opportunities for advertisers to grow their businesses on other retailers and manage all these campaigns in a single dashboard.

There are benefits for Amazon and the retailer. For Amazon, they are opening up a new source of data and ad revenue that they didn’t have before. The data means they can understand more about how consumers browse other websites and from a revenue perspective competing with the likes of Criteo and CitrusAd. For the retailer, Amazon are offering a proven successful product that can be integrated into their website with less complications in developing their own tech.

Of course, there are broader implications here. With Amazon expanding its reach into other retailers’ ad spaces, it raises questions about market competition. Will this create a more streamlined experience for advertisers, or will it further concentrate power in Amazon’s hands? Retailers and brands will need to weigh the pros and cons of participating in this network.

What’s clear is that Amazon isn’t slowing down. They’ve already built the most successful retail media solution in the world, and now they’re leveraging that dominance to expand even further. Competitors like Criteo and CitrusAd offer strong solutions, but it’s hard to compete with Amazon’s scale, data capabilities, and strategic foresight.

In the end, Amazon’s latest move reflects a broader trend in retail media: consolidation and integration. By making it easier for advertisers to reach consumers across multiple platforms, they’re redefining what’s possible in this space. For anyone in the industry, it’s worth keeping a close eye on what comes next.

Joe Farley, Assistant Director - Consultancy