Strategies for Converting Amazon Shoppers to DTC Customers

Still hearing “cannibalization” thrown around? I’ve sat in those meetings too. One team’s win starts to feel like a loss for the other. DTC points at Amazon. Amazon points back. I’ve seen both sides grow together when the basics line up: same pricing, same shipping, clear roles. When you match pricing and shipping, both DTC and Amazon can grow together. I’ve seen sales jump equally month over month on both channels after launch. No one lost. Both won. Average order value tells another story. Amazon brings in orders around $30. DTC? Closer to $58. Let Amazon bring in new customers. Let DTC drive bigger baskets and bundles. Here’s how to measure overlap: 1. Load your DTC customer file into AMC. Use email, and name and address if you can. AMC tokenizes the data and finds matches. 2. Add first purchase date, last purchase date, and lifetime value to your file. This shows you not just overlap, but direction: who started where, who moved, and what they spent. 3. Run overlap segments: DTC-only, Amazon-only, Both. Track what happens after the first purchase by cohort. 4. Upgrade to AMC’s paid Retail Insights dataset to unlock up to 5 years of sales history. This dramatically improves accuracy in identifying true NTB customers and which channel acquired them first. 5.Overlay Meta or TikTok spend with Amazon brand search + revenue. You’ll see how off-Amazon dollars drive on-Amazon demand. If Prime wins on price and speed, your DTC site has to win on value, bundles, exclusives, perks. When Amazon performance is stable, it can help fund bigger omnichannel plays like paid social or influencer campaigns. And if you’re not matching pricing or shipping, that’s fine, just be intentional about the trade-off. The point is: stop debating. Use the data. Let each channel do what it does best. I’m happy to share what we’re seeing across a few brands. Feel free to reach out.

Founders ask me, "We're killing it on Amazon, but our own site isn't converting. What should we do? Should we double down on Amazon?" This question is actually a misunderstanding of how each channel supports your business. Amazon is your go-to for converting high-intent searches quickly. Your website, on the other hand, nurtures long-term customer relationships and builds your brand equity. Each plays a unique role in your growth strategy. Based on my experience with numerous brands, here are key strategies for balancing Amazon and DTC effectively: 1.) Understand Channel Attribution: It's crucial to track how customers move between your site and Amazon. This understanding helps tailor your strategies to actual consumer behavior. 2.) Differentiate Your Offerings: Offer exclusive products or bundles on each platform to discourage direct price comparisons and tailor the shopping experience. 3.) Complementary Advertising: Align your Google ads to drive thoughtful website purchases and use Amazon ads for quick, decisive buys. This way, your campaigns enhance each other rather than compete. 4.) Leverage Platform Strengths: Use Amazon for its convenience and trust with new customers; focus your website on deepening customer relationships through repeat purchases and subscriptions. Remember: Forcing customers into your preferred channel can backfire. Instead, meet them where they prefer to shop. This approach doesn’t just boost sales—it builds sustainable growth across your channels. Let's discuss! What strategies have worked for you in balancing Amazon and your DTC site? Share your experiences or ask a question below!

A month ago we drove multi-million dollar days during Prime Day. We kept all buyer and non-buyer data. We didn’t lose emails to the depths of the Amazon abyss. I’m extremely proud of this and I want to talk about it. Here’s how we did it for our high-level, high-converting brands: Step 1: Match the Amazon Prime Day offer on the website Then we linked everyone in our retention channels to the website to convert on this Prime offer. But why didn’t we send them to Amazon? If we send the highest intent buyers and non-buyers to Amazon, we lose that data forever. And if you don’t have that data, you don’t know who has/hasn’t purchased, and you may end up sending non-stop non-buyer mailings to someone who just purchased on Amazon. Not the best look. Customers don’t know you don’t have that data. Talk to a buyer like a non-buyer and they might be turned off enough to unsubscribe. The same principle applies if you’re selling anywhere else - whether that be retail, another website etc. Again, the last thing you want is to send all your highest-intent customers somewhere that you can’t track. Think VERY carefully about the people in your list that you proudly tell your product is now able to be sold in Walmart. So, we send everyone to the website because we want to KEEP that data. Plus, they’re already in buy mode. It doesn’t need to be on Amazon to get them to convert. Step 2: Send strategic messages to your customers. Send them themed messages about Prime Day that aren’t Amazon-directed. Direct them straight to the website, and show them the matching Prime Day deal. As you’ve noticed, this is INCREDIBLY effective. We had multi-million dollar days during this without losing email or pieces of data. Next time Prime Day rolls around, I’d approach it exactly like this. Plus, if you can’t match the shipping energy of Amazon…I’d be even more cautious.