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Amazon Advertising: Reconsidering the Retail Platform

eMarketer Report

By: eMarketer

Published: October 24, 2017

Jump to: Executive Summary | Table of Contents | List of Charts

Executive Summary

Amazon is a retail giant—or is it a marketplace, or a retail and content company, or simply the most customer-centric company on earth? However you classify it, it’s also a digital ad powerhouse, with rapidly growing revenues that currently rank it fifth among all US digital ad firms.

  • Amazon has the second-fastest-growing digital ad business of any publisher in the US. It will earn about $1.65 billion in net digital ad revenues this year.
  • Amazon’s ad product offerings include search-type ads that are popular for closing a sale, as well as one of the two leading demand-side platforms (DSPs) in the country.
  • More people shop on Amazon than any other digital retail site—and the Amazon audience even rivals Walmart’s in-store customer base. What’s more, the audience is engaged and ready to buy.
  • Amazon’s advertising, both on and off its owned-and-operated properties, is powered by the same customer data that has driven its recommendations and search results for years, with a proven track record of boosting retail sales.

"This year, Amazon will earn $1.65 billion in net US digital ad revenues, thanks to a massive audience and a trove of valuable data on shoppers and their habits."

Table of Contents

Sizing Up the Sleeping Giant

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The Amazon Audience

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Amazon as Ad Publisher

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16 charts are included in the full report:

Amazon Advertising: Reconsidering the Retail Platform

Net US Digital Ad Revenues at Amazon, 2016-2019 (billions, % change and % of total US digital ad spending)

Sizing Up the Sleeping Giant

Net US Digital Ad Revenues at Amazon, 2016-2019 (billions, % change and % of total US digital ad spending)

Net US Search Ad Revenues at Amazon, 2016-2019 (millions, % change and % of total US search ad spending)

Net US Digital Display Ad Revenues at Amazon, 2016-2019 (billions, % change and % of total US digital display ad spending)

Amazon Marketing Services (AMS)

Marketing Methods Used by US Amazon Retailers to Promote Their Product Pages, Feb 2017 (% of respondents)

Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) Used by B2C Marketers in North America, July 2017 (% of respondents)

Sites Used by Internet Users in Select Countries to Find and Research Products Before Making a Purchase, Aug 2017 (% of respondents)

First Channel Used by US Internet Users When Researching Products Digitally, Sep 2015 & Sep 2016 (% of respondents)

Amazon Media Group (AMG)

Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) that US Buy-Side Professionals Are Considering Using in 2017 (% of respondents)

Top 4 Preferred Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) Among US Buy-Side Professionals, Oct 2016 (% of respondents)

Amazon for Publishers

Demand-Partner Adapters Used by US Header-Bidding Websites, Sep 2017 (% of total HBIX sites*)

The Amazon Audience

Leading US Retail Sites, Ranked by Total Monthly Unique Visitors, March 2017 (millions)

US Internet Users Who Regularly Shop at Select Retail Sites, 2015-2017 (% of respondents)

Frequency with Which US Amazon Users Make Purchases on Amazon, June 2014-June 2017 (% of respondents)

Amount that US Amazon Users Have Spent on Amazon, June 2013-June 2017 (% of respondents)

Amazon as Ad Publisher

Expected Change in Spending on Select Advertising Platforms According to B2C Marketers in North America, July 2017 (% of respondents)