Amazon Expands “Shop Direct” to Show External Store Products

March, 2026
Abdullah Zafar

Amazon Expands “Shop Direct” to Show External Store Products

Amazon has expanded its Shop Direct program, allowing customers to discover and purchase products from external brand websites directly through Amazon search results.

This initiative allows Amazon to display products that are not listed on the Amazon marketplace but are available on independent online stores.

How It Works

When customers search for products on Amazon, they may see listings labeled “Shop Direct.”

Customers can then:

Visit the Brand’s Website: Shoppers are redirected to the merchant’s website to complete their purchase.
Use Amazon’s “Buy for Me” AI Feature: In some cases, Amazon’s AI agent can complete the purchase on the brand’s website using the customer’s saved Amazon payment information.

Orders can then be tracked within Amazon under “Buy for Me Orders.”

Scale of the Program

Amazon reports that the program currently includes:

Over 100 million products
More than 400,000 participating merchants
Millions of referrals sent to external online stores

How Can Brands Participate

Brands can connect their product catalogs to Amazon through product feed integrations with platforms such as:

Feedonomics
Salsify
CedCommerce

These integrations allow product data, pricing, and inventory to stay synchronized with Amazon search.

What This Means for E-Commerce

The expansion of Shop Direct represents a major shift in Amazon’s strategy. Instead of functioning only as a marketplace, Amazon is positioning itself as a universal product discovery platform. This allows customers to start their shopping journey on Amazon, even if the final purchase takes place on another website.

As Amazon’s ecosystem evolves, stay ahead with SPCTEK’s expert Amazon strategy, marketplace management, and growth-focused solutions.