Google has reportedly boosted its Express retail arm in a bid to combat Amazon's dominance by allowing users who search for items to purchase them without leaving the platform, through product recommendations. This raises concerns for media companies which use affiliate marketing links for revenue, where they provide a link to purchase a featured project and gain a cut from resulting sales. Revenue from affiliate marketing links is crucial for digital publishers, since digital advertising revenues have plummeted. The move comes as Amazon continues to expand into new areas of online retail, including video streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu.
Google has reportedly boosted its Express retail arm in a bid to combat Amazon's dominance by allowing users who search for items to purchase them without leaving the platform, through product recommendations. This raises concerns for media companies which use affiliate marketing links for revenue, where they provide a link to purchase a featured project and gain a cut from resulting sales. Revenue from affiliate marketing links is crucial for digital publishers, since digital advertising revenues have plummeted. If product recommendations become a key part of Google's business, this presents a threat to media companies reliant on affiliate revenue.