I always wondered why buying Nike slides on Amazon felt like a game of roulette.
One size would cost $28.99, another $51.23. And don’t even get me started on the color. Like no, I do not want salmon and olive green slides, thank you.
The pricing never made sense, and the listings were a mess. And if you wanted a specific color in your size? Good luck.
It turns out there was a reason for that.
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Nike (NKE) hasn’t sold its products directly through Amazon ( (AMZN) ) since 2019. That means everything shoppers have seen in recent years — the erratic pricing, odd stock photos, missing sizes — has come from third-party sellers.
And while some of those sellers are legit, many don’t offer the level of consistency or service customers expect from a brand like Nike.
For years, this left Amazon users with a second-rate shopping experience for one of the world’s most iconic brands.
But that’s finally about to change. The breakup is over. Nike is coming back to Amazon.
Nike and Amazon are getting back together.
Image source: picture alliance/Getty Images
Nike brings back the swoosh to Amazon
Nike is officially returning to Amazon’s U.S. platform after over a five-year break. The brand cut ties with the e-commerce giant back in 2019, citing a desire to better control its brand and customer experience.
But even after Nike exited, its products never truly left. Instead, independent sellers filled the gap, creating that chaotic shopping experience many customers have come to recognize — and avoid.
Now, Nike is resuming its direct relationship with Amazon.
“Nike is investing in our marketplace to ensure we’re offering the right products, best services, and tailored experiences to consumers wherever and however they choose to shop,” the company said in a statement.
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That means Amazon is back on the list, along with new physical retail partners and upgrades like AI-powered search tools.
Amazon, for its part, seems eager to make it work.
The company said that while independent sellers have listed Nike inventory for years, the company will now begin sourcing a much wider range of Nike products directly to expand its selection for U.S. customers.
Amazon also noted it will give existing third-party sellers time to sell through their overlapping inventory.
It’s a big move for both sides — one that signals how much has changed since the breakup.
Nike bets on Amazon to boost business
Nike’s return to Amazon comes at a time when the brand is under real pressure to turn things around.
In March, the company reported that third-quarter sales dropped 9% to $11.27 billion. Revenue slipped across both its Nike and Converse lines, raising concerns about the brand’s ability to maintain momentum.
Rejoining Amazon is a strategic pivot. Nike isn’t just chasing clicks — it’s chasing relevance. More shoppers are heading online first, and Amazon remains the first stop for millions of them.
By rebuilding that direct pipeline, Nike gets more control over the customer experience and potentially more data to fuel smarter decisions.
It’s also a signal. Other brands have avoided Amazon in favor of direct-to-consumer strategies, but with sales softening, even Nike is rethinking its playbook.
Will this move be enough to reverse its slowdown? Time will tell.
But one thing’s clear: Nike’s biggest play in 2025 might just be going back to where the clicks are.
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