Luxury retailer Saks is ending its e-commerce partnership with Amazon, according to a source, marking a shift in how high-end brands approach mass-market online platforms.
Saks is preparing to wind down its e-commerce partnership with Amazon, according to a source familiar with the matter, signaling a strategic pivot in how the luxury retailer approaches online sales.
The partnership, which allowed Amazon customers to shop Saks merchandise through a dedicated storefront, was seen as an experiment in blending luxury retail with mass-market e-commerce reach.
Its apparent conclusion underscores the persistent tension between exclusivity and scale.
Why luxury and Amazon remain uneasy partners
Amazon offers unmatched logistics, reach, and convenience. Luxury brands, however, trade on curation, brand control, and customer experience — attributes that can be difficult to preserve on open marketplaces.
For Saks Fifth Avenue, maintaining direct relationships with high-spending customers has become increasingly important as digital channels mature.
Ending the partnership suggests Saks believes it can better manage brand perception, data, and margins through its own platforms.
A broader retail recalibration
The move reflects a wider reassessment among premium and luxury retailers. Many are investing heavily in proprietary e-commerce, private clienteling, and personalized digital experiences rather than relying on third-party marketplaces.
Amazon, meanwhile, continues to experiment with luxury formats, but adoption has been uneven.
What comes next
Neither company has publicly commented on the timing or terms of the exit. But the decision highlights a broader shift: as online luxury retail becomes the norm rather than the exception, brands are increasingly selective about where — and how — they sell.
For Amazon, it is another reminder that dominance in convenience does not automatically translate into dominance in prestige.
