Nike moved to reclaim its foothold on the world’s largest e-commerce platform this week, announcing plans both to return to Amazon and to raise prices across key categories as it navigates tariff-induced supply-chain pressures.

The company, which sources much of its footwear from China and Vietnam, told investors that adult apparel and equipment would see price hikes of $2 to $10, while footwear in the $100–$150 range would rise by $5 beginning next week; shoes priced above $150 would increase by $10, and products below $100 would remain unchanged. Iconic silhouettes such as the Air Force 1—retailing at $155 — were exempted, as were all children’s lines ahead of the back-to-school season. 

Hours after the price hike news came to light, it was revealed that Nike inked the new deal with Amazon.

“Nike is investing in our marketplace to ensure we’re offering the right products, best services, and tailored experiences to consumers wherever and however they choose to shop. This includes expanding to new digital accounts, including Amazon in the U.S., new physical partners like Printemps, elevating retail experiences across the marketplace, and launching Nike’s AI powered conversational search to improve our online services,” a Nike representative said in a statement to FN.

After a 6-year hiatus, Nike will once again sell direct to Amazon, ending its self-imposed departure that began with the 2017 pilot program and culminated in a full exit in late 2019. “The Information” first reported that the sportswear giant plans to reinstate its official storefront on Amazon, a move designed to regain market share ceded to younger, digitally native competitors amid a broader turnaround under CEO Elliott Hill. As part of the relaunch, Amazon has notified select third-party merchants that they will be barred from offering certain Nike items starting July 19, clearing the channel for Nike’s own listings.

Nike first experimented with a direct Amazon storefront in 2017, aiming to clamp down on unauthorized resellers and enforce its minimum advertised price policies. However, by late 2019 the initiative had not matched Nike’s benchmarks for brand integrity, leading the company to withdraw and concentrate its efforts on its own digital and brick-and-mortar channels, including nike.com and flagship stores — core components of the brand experience envisioned under then-CEO Mark Parker.

The decision to re-enter Amazon comes as peers recalibrate their own distribution amid rising U.S. import levies. Puma, for instance, has already trimmed shipments from China and floated the prospect of retail price increases to offset higher duties. Nike’s strategy marries targeted price hikes—shielding margins on adult apparel, footwear and equipment — with a renewed, tightly controlled presence on Amazon’s platform, reflecting a dual mandate to safeguard its premium positioning while tapping into the marketplace’s expansive customer base.

As Nike readies this multi-pronged rollout next week, industry observers will watch closely to see whether the move toward Amazon under Hill can recapture lost sales without undermining the brand’s premium positioning — a test of whether one of the world’s most powerful brands can thrive on the very platform it once abandoned.