Amazon’s Private Label Focus Signals To Brands To Focus On Experience

Amazon started as a platform that would democratize the industry by being a somewhat impartial brand retailer. Now it’s morphed into becoming a direct competitor with the brands it sells. The New York Times recently reported that Amazon has quietly been building out its private label brands, now with about 100 brands ranging from office supplies (AmazonBasics) to men’s underwear (Good Brief) and kids clothing (Spotted Zebra). Couple this with the news that Amazon has grown to be the fourth largest advertiser in the U.S. in 2017, spending an estimated $3.4 billion on U.S. advertising and promotions, up from the number eight position in 2016, and it’s bound to leave some specialty fashion retailers feeling a bit nervous. Read more at Retail Dive.