Amazon will only allow authorized third-party Apple sellers (will not sell Apple HomePod though) @amazon @apple @AceBeach #makerbusiness
What Amazon and Apple’s deal means for third-party sellers –
Amazon and Apple have stuck an agreement that lets Amazon list the newest Apple and Beats products when they come out, like the iPhone XS and XR. In exchange, Amazon will remove any non-authorized third-party sellers selling Apple products from the platform. The deal will begin later this year and apply to Amazon sales in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, India, France, Germany and Spain.
Amazon will sell and ship Apple products, which it will get directly from Apple. It will also list products from some approved Apple resellers.…
The third-parties often stock up on the new devices the day they’re released at Apple Stores and Best Buy, and rush to fill the void on Amazon. They call it “Apple Season.”
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Sellers found out about the change Friday morning in a letter from Amazon, obtained by CNN Business. They have until January 4, 2019 to sell their existing products before Amazon removes all of their listings. Amazon recommended they contact Apple if they’d like to become an authorized reseller and continue selling products on its site.
“It’s just [an] assault on 3rd party resellers,” said the owner of AceBeach, who asked not to be identified.
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Amazon has blocked the sale of Google devices like the Chromecast that compete with its own smart speakers and streaming devices. And even with this new deal, Amazon still won’t sell Apple’s HomePod, a competitor to Amazon’s Echo devices.
Amazon is about 50% of all USA online sales, while it’s legal to resell something you’ve purchased, Amazon can decide to allow it on its platform (or not). Not allowing the sale of Chromcast and HomePods is an … interesting strategy, for Amazon.