Nike ends retail partnership with Amazon

There will be no more Nike sneakers or apparel sold directly through Amazon. The athleticwear brand is ending its retail partnership with Amazon following a pilot program that had begun in 2017.

Nike acted as a wholesaler to Amazon through the pilot program, supplying Amazon directly rather than leaving space for third-party merchants to sell Nikie products via Amazon. The global retailer is now reportedly looking to sell Nike products through outside merchants.

“As part of Nike’s focus on elevating consumer experiences through more direct, personal relationships, we have made the decision to complete our current pilot with Amazon Retail,” Nike said in a statement to Bloomberg. “We will continue to invest in strong, distinctive partnerships for Nike with other retailers and platforms to seamlessly serve our consumers globally.”

The company added in a statement to the New York Post that it will "continue to invest in strong, distinctive partnerships... with other retailers and platforms to seamlessly serve our consumers globally."

Nike reported an earnings growth of 28 percent last month for its 2019 Q1 results. Revenue increased by 7 percent to 10.7 billion dollars, which the company attributed to "strong product innovation, combined with our industry-leading digital experiences."

Photo: Nike x Undercover Daybreaker collaboration, source Undercover website