Amazon Showcases Exclusive Products In New Section
By Brianna Ahearn, contributing writer
Amazon is known for having millions of items in multiple merchandise categories, and now the company is offering a niche selection of products. The retailer announced earlier this month the arrival of “Amazon Exclusives,” which features early access to innovative products such as electronics, toys, sporting equipment, apparel and more. Among the merchandise available from Amazon Exclusives includes products showcased on the hit ABC primetime show, Shark Tank, according to the retailer's press release.
All of the products in the Amazon Exclusive store are available only from Amazon and the manufacturer or brand's website, making it a premium collection of goods customers can't find anywhere else online. All items from Amazon Exclusives are filled by the retailer, and are thus are also eligible for Prime's free 2-day shipping, so consumers get their products fast. The retailer wants to be seen as a global destination for everything from toilet paper to books, and has opted to give consumers a place to find the hot new thing from new and up-and-coming brands.
“Our mission on behalf of customers is to make Amazon the destination for brands and innovators to launch and sell their products, providing our customers early access to new products,” says Peter Faricy, Vice President of Amazon Marketplace. “We understand that helping brands gain exposure for their award-winning new products is beneficial to customers that desire to be the first to have the hot new item.”
Many of the products in the Amazon Exclusives program are award-winning products, such as Jackery, whose rechargeable battery products for mobile devices won the Bronze award at the Networks Products Guides Awards. The focus is for Amazon to find unique and quirky consumer products from smaller retailers, and allow them to be found and enjoyed by the millions of Amazon customers who visit the website every day, rather than have their products linger on big box store shelves.
Amazon has increasingly added new features and options to improve the customer experience. In February, Amazon also launched Amazon Giveaways, letting customers host giveaways of products from the website, whether they're individuals or companies. Unlike other sweepstakes websites, like Rafflecopter, Amazon Giveaways doesn't just provide a form or place for entries, it also manages the shipping for the giveaway host, shipping the prizes directly to the winner.
All of the recent updates Amazon has made show that it is not taking the competition in the digital space lightly. As Walmart expands to offer a sustainability shop on its online store, and Target undercuts both retailers on free shipping offers, the battle of e-commerce continues. However, Amazon has shown it will continue to make strides to be the top retailer online. This week Amazon received approval from the FAA to test its drones outdoors, and also launched one-hour delivery in Baltimore and Miami, as well as opened its first brick and mortar store at Purdue University. The retailer will soon offer one-hour delivery in Miami, Florida as well. Customers who visit Amazon online can now view the complete offer of Exclusives products, and more should be added soon, as Amazon is taking applications for brands to join the program.