Nintendo Pulls Its Products from Amazon

Nintendo has withdrawn its products from the U.S. Amazon website. The reason lies in a disagreement over unauthorized sales, which resulted in Amazon losing the recent commercial debut of the Switch 2.

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Why Nintendo no longer sells on Amazon

According to Bloomberg, the Japanese company stopped selling on Amazon after noticing that third-party sellers were offering games for sale in the United States at prices lower than those advertised by Nintendo itself.

The mechanism was certainly not unknown. Some sellers were purchasing Nintendo products in bulk from Southeast Asian markets. They then imported them into the United States, where they were later sold on the local marketplace.

And so, Nintendo products began to disappear from Amazon’s U.S. site. A decision that began last year and appears to have continued steadily into 2025. Previously, the listings appeared as “Sold by Amazon,” which generally denotes the presence of merchandise that the online retailer purchases directly from brands. Some Nintendo products have indeed remained on the site. However, they are now sold by independent sellers offering their own products.

For its part, Amazon tried to reassure Nintendo by offering to apply labels to products to guarantee their authenticity. This is a technique the company uses to ensure that buyers’ products are not counterfeit and to better track the merchandise. For Nintendo, however, this offer was not enough. And, as an additional move, the Japanese company chose to withdraw its products from Amazon in the United States.

The official positions of Amazon and Nintendo

So far, at least, this is what analysts have been able to observe by consulting Amazon listings in the U.S. It should be noted, however, that Nintendo’s official position appears to be different. The Japanese company, through a spokesperson, has stated that it does not disclose details of negotiations or contracts with retailers. This position was followed by a refusal to further elaborate on what had occurred.

For its part, an Amazon spokesperson seemed to support the inaccuracy of Bloomberg’s claims. The company shared that its relationship with Nintendo has not evolved as reported by the media. However, Amazon did not want to specify the nature of that relationship. Instead, it deemed it more appropriate to state that “Amazon is pleased to offer Nintendo products directly to its customers as part of its commitment to providing an exceptional shopping experience with the widest possible selection.”

Beyond the public statements, what emerges is that Nintendo has sold the Switch 2 through many competing retailers, such as:

• Walmart
• Target Corp
• Best Buy
• Gamestop.

And that, for its part, Amazon has done so only in non-U.S. markets such as Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. That said, Nintendo is not the only brand to clash with Amazon over how third-party sellers operate on the company’s marketplace. For some time now, major brands have argued that Amazon must do more to:

• control independent sellers
• reduce counterfeits
• prevent the risk of unfair competition within the platform.

>>> You can also read our Practical Guide to the Amazon Sales Register. <<<

Other examples

In light of this, it is not surprising that many major brands have decided to withdraw their products from the site. The argument? Always the same. Namely, it is argued that Amazon does not provide sufficient control over how products are sold on the marketplace. Amazon has, from time to time, sought to protect positions against higher-profile sellers. And in doing so, it has also filed lawsuits against alleged counterfeiters. However, it has not always been able to preserve relationships with the industry’s big players.

An example is what happened with Apple. In 2018, the two companies struck a deal that allowed Amazon to sell the latest iPhones and other products from the Cupertino company. Subsequently, however, Amazon banned unauthorized third-party sellers from selling refurbished Apple products. Another company that had cut ties with Amazon, Nike, recently announced that it would resume selling products through the marketplace.

Something similar could probably happen with Nintendo as well. The company, moreover, seems to have reestablished a relationship with Amazon, as pre-orders for the upcoming Donkey Kong Bonanza appear on the site as sold by the U.S. company.

>>> Read also our article European Production Hubs: Which Are the Best for Your Sourcing? <<<

Big brands: pros and cons of not being on Amazon

Nintendo’s recent decision to withdraw from Amazon’s U.S. marketplace offers an interesting opportunity to analyze the pros and cons that major brands must consider when deciding not to be present on the world’s largest e-commerce platform.

The Nintendo case clearly highlights one of the main advantages of being absent from Amazon: total control over distribution and pricing. When a brand chooses to sell exclusively through direct channels or selected retailers, it maintains strict control over the positioning of its products and its pricing policies. Nintendo, in fact, found itself having to deal with sellers offering games at prices lower than official ones by importing them from Southeast Asian markets. A situation that not only undermined its pricing strategy but also risked damaging the perceived value of the brand.

Another significant advantage concerns the protection of the brand image. When a brand is not on Amazon, it avoids the risks associated with counterfeiting and unauthorized sales that often characterize open marketplaces. The quality of the shopping experience remains under the direct control of the brand. As such, the brand can ensure high standards in customer service and product presentation. Nintendo, for example, can now ensure that its products are presented and sold according to its quality standards through trusted retailers such as the aforementioned Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.

>>> Read also our guide Amazon Inventory Management: Guide to Warehouse Optimization <<<

The disadvantages of not being on Amazon

However, being absent from Amazon also involves considerable disadvantages. The first and most obvious is the loss of a huge share of the market. Amazon represents a significant portion of global online sales. Giving up this presence potentially means losing millions of customers who prefer to shop exclusively on the platform. This is particularly relevant for habitual Amazon consumers, who often choose products based on the convenience and fast delivery guaranteed by the Prime service.

The reduction in visibility represents another critical disadvantage. Amazon is not just a marketplace but also a powerful product search engine. Many consumers start their product search directly on Amazon. And being absent from the platform can translate into lower discoverability for the brand. This is especially true for niche products or for reaching new customer segments.

From a strategic standpoint, being absent from Amazon can also result in a loss of valuable data on consumer purchasing behavior. The platform offers detailed insights into buyers’ preferences. And, of course, this information can be crucial for developing marketing and product strategies.

The Nintendo case, however, shows that there are viable alternatives. The company has demonstrated that it is possible to maintain a thriving business by focusing on selected distribution channels and maintaining strict control over its market presence. The strategy seems to be working, considering that Nintendo has still successfully launched the Switch 2 through other retailers.

The decision to be present on Amazon or not therefore depends on each brand’s specific goals. For some companies, total control over distribution and the protection of brand image may outweigh the global reach offered by Amazon. For others, giving up a presence on the platform could mean losing too large a share of the potential market.