Amazon Haul: A New Reality Check for DTC Brands
Amazon Haul resets consumer expectations on price. For DTC brands, it’s both a threat and an opportunity: compete on value, not discounts. Use Haul as a funnel, a test lab, and a contrast to highlight your quality and story.
When Amazon announced Haul in late 2024, most observers saw it as a simple counterattack on Temu and Shein. Another marketplace for cheap goods, another play for the price-hungry segment of consumers. But for me, working day in and day out with DTC brands across Europe and the United States, it feels like something bigger: a shift in how consumers will come to evaluate value, trust, and even what shopping is supposed to feel like.
The premise of Amazon Haul is straightforward. It’s a standalone shopping experience, integrated into the Amazon app, dedicated to products under $20. Delivery isn’t Prime-fast — it can take one to two weeks — but the prices are so low that customers are willing to trade speed for savings. In other words, Amazon is betting that the cultural habit of impulse buying, which Temu has perfected, can be transplanted into its ecosystem. And unlike Temu, Amazon wraps the whole thing in the safety net of its A-to-z Guarantee. Suddenly, ultra-cheap shopping doesn’t feel risky anymore.
This matters because it resets expectations. A consumer browsing a €50 skincare product on a DTC website will inevitably compare it to the €9.99 alternative they saw on Haul. It doesn’t mean they’ll always choose the cheaper option, but the mental anchor shifts. Brands that once relied on being the affordable alternative now risk looking expensive.
So where does that leave DTC brands?
The first mistake would be to panic and start competing on price. You will not out-discount Amazon — or Temu, for that matter. But ignoring Haul is just as dangerous. The more interesting play is to ask: how can this ecosystem serve you?
For some brands, Haul can become a low-cost acquisition funnel. By offering a mini kit, an accessory, or a trial-size product, you can use Haul not as a profit engine but as an introduction. Customers come for the bargain, but once they hold your product in their hands, you have the chance to bring them into your world. Inserts, QR codes, and clever onboarding can redirect them to your DTC channel, where you control the brand experience. Think of it less as a shop and more as a paid sampling platform that earns itself back.
At the same time, Haul forces a renewed conversation about differentiation. If Haul is the place for throwaway buys, then your site must be the place for lasting value. Bundles, starter packs, loyalty perks — things Haul is structurally bad at — should become central to your direct channel. And on top of that, the storytelling around quality, sustainability, and provenance has never been more important. Consumers are already skeptical of fast-fashion waste. A €50 product will always look expensive next to a €10 Haul item, unless you explain why it is designed to last, made in Europe or the USA, and worth keeping.
Another under-appreciated angle is that Haul itself can be treated as a test lab. The platform creates a massive flow of impulse buyers — what better place to test variations, packaging formats, or niche product ideas? If something resonates there, it tells you where to double down in your core assortment. In that sense, Haul could become a form of market research with the bonus that customers actually pay for the privilege.
I believe Haul will expand aggressively in Europe over the next 12–18 months, and when it does, it will put real pressure on categories like accessories, home gadgets, and entry-level beauty. For DTC leaders, the question is not “how do we avoid it?” but “how do we get ahead of it?” Early adopters will gain visibility before the competition catches on, and once Amazon begins monetizing Haul with ads, the cost of playing will rise quickly.
In short: Amazon Haul is not the end of DTC. But it is a new reality check. It makes clear that price alone can no longer be your story. Either you use it strategically as a feeder into your ecosystem, or you sharpen your positioning to stand as the trusted, premium alternative. The brands that adapt fastest will thrive; those that freeze will be commoditized.
That’s the message I give my clients when we look at these shifts together: don’t waste energy worrying about being undercut. Focus on building a funnel that turns curiosity into loyalty, and use every new platform — even Amazon’s answer to Temu — as a lever to make your brand stronger.
