Do Shopify and Amazon really sit side‑by‑side?
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
That’s the question we tackled in our latest Highlands Thinking conversation with James Pitkin (TrackBee) and Tariq Bedson (Highlands) — and the answer is far more nuanced than “either/or.”
Brands on a D2C journey have more choice than ever. A pure‑play Shopify model gives you control:
You own the customer journey
You build loyalty and retention
You shape the brand experience end‑to‑end
But Amazon brings something different — and equally powerful:
Immediate access to the world’s biggest marketplace
Built‑in trust through reviews and Prime
A critical role in the customer research loop
As Tariq put it, many shoppers validate a brand on Amazon before buying on the brand’s own site. Ignore that audience and you’re leaving demand on the table.
We also dug into how Amazon DSP and Google PMax are reshaping the game. These platforms don’t just capture intent — they predict it. With first‑party data, brands can reach future buyers before they even start searching, and even conquest competitor audiences across platforms.
And as James highlighted, the real opportunity lies in omnichannel: Being discoverable everywhere your customer shops, while managing margin, product originality, and inventory across multiple marketplaces.
If you have any thoughts on this topic, please let us know. We’re always keen to learn and share.
Here’s to a strong 2026.
