October 20, 2025
In 2025, when it comes to channel strategy, one conclusion has become definitive: Amazon is no longer optional. It’s a key account that demands the same strategic investment as the largest distributors. Here’s why this shift happened and what brands need to do about it.
The cycling industry’s initial resistance to Amazon made strategic sense. Brands built themselves through IBDs, protected MAP policies, and relied on dealer relationships as competitive moats. But channel audits consistently reveal that 60-70% of brand products are already on Amazon—listed by distributors, dealers, or unauthorized sellers.
This isn’t betrayal; it’s economics. Major distributors run Amazon storefronts. Regional dealers use FBA to expand beyond geographic markets. They don’t ask permission because they don’t need to—the products belong to them once purchased.
The result? Brands find themselves on Amazon anyway, but with zero control over pricing, content, or brand representation. That’s not a strategy—that’s a liability.
ROCKBROS represents what happens when brands build for the channel from day one. Search Amazon for bike lights, handlebar bags, or cycling gloves—ROCKBROS dominates with “Amazon’s Choice” badges and 5,000-20,000 reviews per product.
This success didn’t happen by accident. The listings are masterclasses in Amazon SEO. A+ content is professionally executed. Review velocity crushes traditional brands 10:1. Pricing sits at the value tier with margins supporting Amazon’s fee structure and advertising costs.
The strategic insight: ROCKBROS treated Amazon as the primary go-to-market platform, not a channel to manage. The brand secured first-mover advantage and built an algorithmic moat. Now the company is expanding into Europe and traditional retail—funded by Amazon profits.
That’s the competitive threat facing traditional brands.
Over 65% of all product searches now begin on Amazon. Not Google. Not brand websites. Not retailer sites. Amazon.
When cyclists need bar tape, brake pads, or bib shorts, they open Amazon first. They read reviews, compare options, check Prime eligibility, and purchase—often without visiting brand sites or dealers.
This behavior spans all segments: experienced cyclists buying routine items, enthusiasts researching upgrades, new cyclists building their first kit, gift buyers, and even shop owners sourcing inventory.
The channel has the traffic. The question is whether brands have the presence to capture it.
Successful Amazon strategies require the same organizational rigor applied to top distributors. Here’s what that entails: Dedicated account management.
Someone who owns Amazon P&L, understands platform mechanics, and has executive access. This can’t be a side project.
Content Investment – Professional photography, video, A+ pages, and brand stores. Trademark registration through Brand Registry and active defense against violations.
Fulfillment strategy – Strategic choices between Vendor Central, Seller Central, or hybrid models. Recognition that FBA dramatically improves conversion and visibility.
MAP enforcement – Monitoring pricing, identifying unauthorized sellers, and enforcing violations. This requires 10-15 hours weekly, either internally or through agencies.
Advertising budget – Amazon is pay-to-play. Successful brands allocate 10-15% of Amazon revenue for Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, and DSP campaigns.
This investment level isn’t optional for effective competition. ROCKBROS makes these investments. Competitors who figured this out two years ago are making these investments. The question is whether traditional brands will match this commitment.
Work with dozens of brands reveals three distinct strategies emerging:
Full embrace: Treat Amazon as Tier 1 with corresponding resources. Develop Amazon-specific products or bundles. Accept manageable channel conflict.
Selective participation: Choose specific categories for Amazon (accessories, apparel) while keeping others IBD-exclusive (complete bikes). This requires disciplined SKU management.
Controlled presence: Authorize and support specific dealers who meet brand standards. Requires robust agreements and monitoring.
What doesn’t work: hoping Amazon disappears or believing brands can keep products off the platform.
Dealers express frustration when unauthorized sellers undercut them with no consequences. They’re angry when customers showroom then buy cheaper on Amazon with incorrect product information.
But dealers accept clear, enforced policies that create level playing fields. Many dealers want to sell on Amazon themselves. Progressive dealers already do.
The solution: establish clear policies, enforce consistently, support retail partners with tools and resources, and communicate transparently. Some dealer goodwill may be lost. But more market share will erode by ceding Amazon entirely to unauthorized sellers and Asian competitors.
Amazon has become the primary discovery and purchase platform for cycling products. The 65% search statistic isn’t a future trend—it’s current reality. Asian brands like ROCKBROS recognized this early and built dominant positions while traditional brands debated. Distributors have already decided to sell on Amazon. Customers are buying there.
The strategic question isn’t whether to be on Amazon—market forces decided that. The question is whether brands will treat it as the key account it has become, with appropriate organizational structure, resources, and investment.
The brands that thrive over the next five years will master multi-channel excellence—maintaining strong IBD relationships while competing effectively on Amazon. Those that struggle will be fighting yesterday’s battles while market share erodes to more adaptable competitors.
The channel landscape has changed. Brand strategy needs to change with it.
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