Amazon Loses Its Monopoly: 74% of Webmasters Begin Splitting Traffic
The company Levanta published a fresh study on the e-commerce affiliate marketing market, and it turned out that over the past month, 74% of webmasters stopped working exclusively with Amazon and started distributing links across different marketplaces. The giant still holds the leadership position, but its share is melting rapidly due to pressure from competitors. In terms of click share, the market is currently distributed as follows:
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Amazon — 32.1%;
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Independent brand websites — 26.9%;
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Walmart — 18.5%.
The remaining traffic volume goes to smaller local online stores.
What is the Reason
The reason lies in regular commission rate cuts and strict rules. Amazon has remained the main source for white-hat e-commerce for years, thanks to its massive product range and excellent conversion rate. However, constant payout cuts in the affiliate program have forced teams to look for alternatives.
Additionally, players with more favorable conditions have emerged in the market. Walmart, for instance, is actively developing its affiliate tools, offering webmasters higher commissions and flexible payouts.
How to Restructure Your Work
The monopoly of a single platform is coming to an end, and for teams driving traffic to e-commerce in foreign GEOs, this is a direct signal to diversify traffic. It's time to optimize content for multiple storefronts at once:
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Test different product offers. Do not tie referral links to a single store if you can find the same products on alternative platforms with a higher ROI due to better terms.
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Work directly with brands. The growth of independent affiliate programs shows that driving traffic to manufacturers is more profitable due to higher rates and the lack of intermediaries.
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Reduce risks for working capital. Distributing links across different marketplaces protects a team's income from sudden bans or rule changes on a single specific platform.
Yes, restructuring the technical setup to work with multiple advertisers requires additional expenses, but these overhead costs pay off with greater long-term income stability.
