Amazon’s Non-Endemic Search: A New Growth Opportunity for CPG Brands

Amazon continues to evolve, and its latest innovation—Non-Endemic Search Beta—opens up new doors for brands that don’t sell directly on the platform—as there’s no Amazon storefront required. For CPG suppliers, this opens an exciting door to harness Amazon’s unmatched user base and data insights for growth opportunities beyond traditional eCommerce on the platform.

To break down what this means for brands and how to take advantage of it, we spoke with Digital Commerce Leader Tripp Standa and our MPG Amazon team.

What is Amazon’s Non-Endemic Search Beta and why does it matter to CPG suppliers?

This is a significant change in Amazon’s advertising model. Traditionally, brands had to sell on Amazon to advertise on the platform. Now, they can run search-based ads that send shoppers directly to their own websites or retailer pages. This allows brands to drive performance beyond Amazon's marketplace by guiding high-intent shoppers to external buying purchase destinations. Plus, it’s an opportunity to complement existing strategies on Amazon, Google, and social platforms.

What's particularly game-changing is how brands, including service-based businesses, can leverage powerful tools like Prime Video, Alexa, and shopping behaviors to target high-intent audiences. You’ve now got a better chance of reaching your potential customers at just the right moment, with insights drawn directly from their shopping habits and interests.

How does this differ from traditional Amazon advertising?

The key difference is where the traffic goes. With traditional Amazon Sponsored Ads, brands advertise products available on Amazon. With Non-Endemic Search, ads can send traffic off Amazon entirely—whether to a DTC website, a retailer, or a brand’s landing page. It allows CPG brands to go beyond search ads—leveraging placements across Amazon’s ecosystem, including Prime Video, Alexa, Fire TV, and other touchpoints.

What are the key advantages for CPG brands?

First, Greater Brand Control & First-Party Data. Since brands can send traffic to their own platforms, they gain more direct customer insights, which helps improve future marketing efforts.

Next, Retailer & Omnichannel Support. Brands can use these ads to drive both brand visibility and sales at key retail locations.

And finally, this offers Advanced Audience Targeting. With Amazon’s deep shopper data, brands can reach consumers at key moments. Amazon’s extensive data on shopping behavior allows brands to reach customers based on past purchase habits, household needs, and lifestyle preferences.

What strategies should CPG brands use to make the most of this opportunity?

Winning in this space demands razor-sharp strategies. Here’s how brands should be thinking about it:

Am I using precision targeting? Use shopping behavior, interest-based, and life-stage targeting to reach the most relevant consumers.
Have I optimized brand landing pages? Since these ads direct traffic off Amazon, brands must ensure that their DTC or retailer landing pages are mobile-friendly and conversion-optimized to capture consumer interest.
What’s a smarter bidding and budgeting approach? Amazon’s ad platform allows for data-driven bidding strategies. This helps brands maximize their return on ad spend (ROAS) with real-time insights.

Should CPG brands start testing this now?

Yes, and here’s why: this is still in beta, so early adopters will have a strategic advantage. Brands that start now can gather valuable performance data, refine their approach, and be a step ahead when the program expands.

Interested in learning more? Our MPG team is highly experienced in helping brands navigate Amazon’s evolving platform and build winning retail media strategies that maximize performance across channels. If you’d like to explore how Non-Endemic Search can fit into your broader digital strategy, connect with Tripp Standa at tripp.standa@mpgllc.com for a conversation.