Online e-commerce giant Amazon is reportedly in talks with some of the leading US publishers over a deal which could see the company reward cash in return for overseas expansion of consumer-oriented shopping sites.
According to sources on Recode, the e-commerce player is in discussions with the New York Times and BuzzFeed. Utilising the platform’s existing affiliate model, publishers already earn a commission from Amazon for referring shoppers to the company through affiliate links. The potential deal is an attempt to grow the business even further by reaching readers outside the US market.
E-commerce is very much an important revenue stream for publishers so these developments could be seen as a positive move.
How much?
At this moment in time, it is unclear how much money Amazon is offering and which international markets the e-commerce provider is most interested in targeting. For now, the move supports publishers that have run affiliate links to much effect and in return will pay them to build out those groups.
Furthermore, it is believed that Amazon has been proposing various deals that would give publishers money up front in order to expand its international sites or open up new markets.
With the likes of Facebook, Google and other platforms offering deals and payments to publishers for specific kinds of content, this could be a new venture for Amazon as it continues to expand its presence in the digital marketing space, especially where it’s been reported that e-commerce accounts are a viable revenue stream for 31% of global publishers, with 35% enjoying an advertising business capable of being their main source of income.