E-commerce giant Amazon is facing criticism from online retailers who claim their products were listed and sold on its platform without consent, following the rollout of its new AI-powered shopping features.
‘Shop Direct’ and AI buying agents raise concerns
In February, Amazon announced Shop Direct, a feature that allows users to browse products from external brand websites directly on Amazon. Some of these listings include a “Buy for Me” button—an AI agent that can purchase items from third-party websites on behalf of customers.
Amazon described the feature as a way to help shoppers find products not sold on its marketplace. The service is currently being tested among select users in the US.
However, several retailers say they never agreed to participate.
Retailers say products were listed without consent
In recent weeks, business owners began reporting on Reddit and Instagram that their products appeared on Amazon through the Buy for Me feature without permission. Some said Amazon listed items they do not sell or products that were out of stock.
Hitchcock Paper, a stationery brand based in Virginia, said it discovered its inclusion after receiving Amazon-linked orders for a stress ball—an item it does not carry.
Similarly, Angie Chua, CEO of Bobo Design Studio in Palm Springs, California, said her company began receiving orders via Amazon’s Buy for Me agent despite not opting in. Her business sells stationery and journaling accessories through Shopify and a physical store.
“We were forced to be dropshippers on a platform we consciously chose not to join,” Chua said, adding that while Amazon removed her listings after she contacted them, the experience left her feeling “exploited”.
Hundreds of sellers report similar issues
Chua said more than 180 businesses using platforms such as Squarespace, WooCommerce and Wix have since reached out to her, reporting similar experiences.
Retailers argue that the system risks customer dissatisfaction if AI agents sell unavailable or incorrect products, potentially damaging brand trust.
Amazon responds, calls programme an experiment
An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC that Shop Direct and Buy for Me are designed to help customers discover products not sold on Amazon while helping brands reach new customers. The company said businesses can opt out at any time by emailing [email protected], and that product and pricing data are pulled from publicly available information.
Amazon stressed that Buy for Me is still an experiment and that it does not charge commissions on purchases made through the AI agent. The company said the number of products available through the feature has grown from 65,000 at launch to over 5 lakh.
Part of a wider AI shopping push
The controversy comes as major tech firms push into AI-powered shopping agents. Companies such as OpenAI, Google and Perplexity have launched tools allowing purchases within chatbot interfaces.
Amazon itself launched a shopping chatbot called Rufus in 2024. At the same time, it has blocked external AI agents from scraping its site and sued Perplexity over alleged unauthorised access—claims the startup has denied.
As AI-driven commerce expands, retailers are increasingly questioning where innovation ends and consent begins.