Amazon owns your customers. You just rent shelf space.
By danancoleman · September 17, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
Amazon owns your customers. You just rent shelf space.
A brand I talked to recently flipped that script.
They use Amazon the way it's meant to be used: to catch high-intent buyers who already trust the platform, and to protect the brand's reputation there.
But every dollar they can, they push toward their own site instead.
Why? Because Amazon will never hand you the customer's name, email, or address. Your own site does.
Sellers who treat Amazon as the whole business end up renting their customer base from a landlord who can change the lease anytime.
Sellers who treat it as one channel among several keep the leverage.
You do not have to choose one or the other. Start by tracking which channel is actually building your own list, not just your sales.
What does your channel mix look like right now?
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