Why Nike Left Amazon (And Why It Matters) ?

Hey Beyonder!👋

Yesterday, I stumbled across a 2019 business headline that stopped me cold: "Nike won’t sell directly to Amazon anymore”

My first thought? "Are they insane?"

Then I dug into what happened next. The results were staggering.

This bold move taught me the most important lesson about storytelling:

WHERE you tell your story matters just as much as HOW you tell it.

The Problem: Lost in the Crowd

Back in 2017, Nike was selling on Amazon like everyone else. Here's how their products looked:

Boring! Nike - one of the most inspiring brands ever was just another row of bullet points.

Their "Just Do It" magic? Gone. Their athlete stories? Missing.

They looked exactly like every other shoe on Amazon.

The Fix: Take Back Control

In November 2019, Nike shocked everyone. They stopped selling directly to Amazon!

They focused entirely on their own channels: Nike.com, their app, and their physical stores.

 Same shoes. Totally different story:

Instead of Amazon's feature lists, Nike focused on what they do best: emotional storytelling that connects with real people.

On their own platforms, Nike launched campaigns like:

• "Play New" (2021) - encouraging people to try new sports and activities

• Real athlete stories - featuring authentic journeys of struggle and triumph

• Community-driven content - where customers share their own Nike experiences

• Interactive experiences - like their Nike apps that combine shopping with training programs.

Rather than "lightweight synthetic mesh upper," Nike told stories about overcoming limits, pushing boundaries, and proving that "if you have a body, you are an athlete."

Feel that difference?

Why It Worked So Well

Nike didn't just change their message. They changed their entire storytelling strategy:

Amazon's Way: Product specs, price comparisons, star ratings

Nike's Way: Human stories, emotional connections, personal journeys

What Nike understood:

• People don't buy products - they buy better versions of themselves

• Stories stick when facts don't

• Emotion drives action more than features

• Control your platform = control your story

The results were incredible:

• Nike Direct revenue reached $21.5 billion in 2024 (more than doubled since 2017)

• Digital sales now account for 26% of total sales

• Nike's total revenue grew from $34.4 billion (2017) to $51.4 billion (2024)

• They built one of the most successful direct-to-consumer businesses in retail

The Platform-First Storytelling Framework

Own your narrative. Everything else follows.

Your Challenge This Week

Drop your before-and-after as a reply to this mail !

Plot twist: Nike just announced in May 2025 they're going BACK to selling directly on Amazon - but now on their terms, with proven brand strength and 6 years of successful direct-to-consumer growth behind them.

The lesson? Master your own niche first. When you control your story on your terms, you can play anywhere from a position of strength.

Keep telling stories,

Epaphra

P.S. When you own your platform, you own your story. When you own your story, you own your results. That's the Nike way.