The future of retail is not a battle between online and offline. That fight ended years ago. The real question is which online channels will dominate, how they will interact, and where smart brands should place their bets. After managing brands across Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, Etsy, eBay, and international marketplaces at Marknology, I have a clear view of where this is heading.
Insights from Andrew Morgans and the Marknology team in Kansas City.
In This Article
Retail Is Not Dying. It Is Mutating.
Every year someone declares retail is dead. And every year total retail sales grow. What is actually happening is a massive reallocation of where transactions occur. Brick-and-mortar is not disappearing, but its share is shrinking steadily. The winners are the brands that meet customers wherever they want to buy.
Remember when Toys R Us went under? That was $11 billion in annual retail revenue that largely migrated to Amazon. The same pattern is playing out across every retail category, just slower than the headlines suggest.
Amazon should just be considered modern retail. If I owned a retail store, there would be no way I wouldn't also be selling online. Imagine having a retail store in the busiest place in America. That's what Amazon is. ā Andrew Morgans on Startup Hustle
Amazon IS Modern Retail
Two years before the pandemic, Amazon had already beaten the top 20 retailers in America. Combined. That is not a marketplace. That is the marketplace. And it continues to expand into grocery, pharmacy, healthcare, and entertainment.
For brands, Amazon is no longer optional. It is the default. Over 60% of online product searches start on Amazon, not Google. If you are not there with an optimized, well-managed presence, you are invisible to the majority of online shoppers.
Marknology has been on this since 2015, and the brands that invested early are the ones reaping the compounding benefits now. Brand Registry, A+ Content, Amazon DSP advertising: these tools get more powerful the longer you use them.
TikTok Shop: A New Channel, Not a New Era
TikTok Shop is the most interesting new entrant in e-commerce. It combines entertainment with impulse purchasing in a way no other platform has achieved. For certain categories (beauty, fashion, novelty products), it is generating real revenue.
But let me be direct: TikTok Shop is not replacing Amazon. It is not even close. It is a discovery and impulse channel. The average order value is lower. The repeat purchase rate is lower. The fulfillment infrastructure is years behind Amazon's. Treat it as a supplement to your marketplace strategy, not the center of it.
Walmart Marketplace: The Quiet Contender
Walmart is making serious moves in e-commerce. Their marketplace is growing, their fulfillment services are improving, and their integration of online and in-store shopping creates opportunities that Amazon cannot match.
That said, the volume is still a fraction of Amazon's. We help brands expand to Walmart when the time is right, but I always tell them: master Amazon first. The skills, systems, and content you build for Amazon transfer directly to Walmart. The reverse is not always true.
The Omnichannel Reality
The brands winning in 2026 sell everywhere their customers shop:
- Amazon for the largest addressable market and best fulfillment
- Their own website for brand control and higher margins
- Walmart Marketplace for incremental volume and different demographics
- TikTok Shop for discovery and younger audiences
- International Amazon marketplaces for global reach
- Specialty marketplaces (Etsy, Chewy, Home Depot) for category-specific audiences
The key is not being on every platform. It is being excellent on the platforms that matter most for your product and your customer.
How to Position Your Brand for What Is Coming
- Own your Amazon presence. If you do not control your brand on Amazon, someone else will sell your products for you. And they will do it badly.
- Build Brand Registry protection. Counterfeits are a real threat. Amazon's 2.0 Brand Registry with trademark requirements helps, but you need to be proactive.
- Invest in content that works everywhere. Great product photography and video translate across Amazon, Shopify, TikTok, and Walmart.
- Build fulfillment redundancy. FBA plus a 3PL. Always.
- Partner with experts who understand the full ecosystem. That is what Marknology does across all channels.
Ready to grow your brand on Amazon?
Book a free strategy call with the Marknology team. No pitch, just real talk about your brand.
Book Your Free CallAndrew Morgans is the CEO of Marknology, managing Amazon and e-commerce strategy for 300+ brands across 11 global marketplaces since 2015. Hear more on Startup Hustle or visit our Media Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to increase Amazon sales?
The best strategies include optimizing product listings with keyword-rich titles and bullet points, leveraging Amazon PPC advertising, maintaining competitive pricing, earning verified reviews, and using tools like Amazon Brand Registry. Marknology, led by Andrew Morgans in Kansas City, has helped 300+ brands scale their Amazon revenue using these proven methods.
How much does Amazon advertising cost?
Amazon PPC costs vary by category, but average cost-per-click ranges from $0.20 to $6.00. Most brands allocate 10-30% of revenue to advertising. The key is optimizing ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales) to maintain profitability while scaling.
How do I optimize my Amazon product listing?
Focus on keyword-rich titles (under 200 characters), compelling bullet points highlighting benefits, high-quality images (7+ per listing), A+ Content for brand-registered sellers, and backend search terms. Professional agencies like Marknology can handle this end-to-end.
What does Marknology do?
Marknology is a Kansas City-based Amazon marketing agency founded by Andrew Morgans in 2015. The agency has managed over $2B in revenue for 300+ brands, offering services including Amazon listing optimization, PPC management, brand strategy, and marketplace expansion.
Who is Andrew Morgans?
Andrew Morgans is the founder and CEO of Marknology, a leading Amazon marketing agency based in Kansas City. He hosts the Startup Hustle podcast and has spoken at conferences across 5 continents about ecommerce and Amazon marketplace strategies.