Amazon is home to 472,347 brands — each with a unique strategy for selling on the platform.
For large brands, Amazon is just a sales channel. For others, it’s 100% of their revenue.
But there’s one key data point that reveals how a brand truly operates on Amazon: The Dominant Seller.
What is the Dominant Seller on Amazon?
A brand and a seller are not the same on Amazon.
- A brand’s products may be sold by multiple third-party sellers (3P) or exclusively through one seller.
- Some brands sell directly to Amazon as a first-party (1P) seller, while others keep full control over their listings.
- Many brands rely on authorized resellers, while others struggle with distribution chaos.
By identifying the dominant seller, you can uncover a brand’s Amazon strategy in a way that simply looking at their product listings won’t show.
Let’s examine four well-known brands and their dominant sellers.
Ninja: A 1P Brand with Limited Resellers
Amazon is the dominant seller
💰 Revenue: $80 million
🔹 Resellers contribute just 13% of sales
Ninja, the popular kitchen appliance brand, sells primarily through Amazon as a first-party (1P) seller. Resellers make up just 13% of their revenue, yet that still translates to a massive $10.5 million per month.
For a brand that works closely with Amazon, they’ve limited reseller presence, maintaining strong control over their listings.
Anker: The Classic DTC Brand
Anker itself is the dominant seller
💰 Revenue: N/A (but significant!)
🔹 Fully embraces the 3P model
Anker is a direct-to-consumer (DTC) powerhouse that operates as its own seller on Amazon. They never rely on resellers and have full control over pricing, branding, and distribution.
This is the gold standard for Amazon-native brands that want to own every aspect of their presence.
The North Face: A Brand with Too Many Resellers
A third-party reseller is the dominant seller
💰 Revenue: N/A
🔹 33% of sales come from a reseller, not the brand
🔹 Brand Score: 5.5
Unlike Ninja or Anker, The North Face has a scattered distribution strategy. Their dominant seller is an unknown third party, which accounts for 33% of their revenue.
This suggests they don’t have tight control over their Amazon presence, and their Brand Score of 5.5 indicates subpar content and optimization.
While they are a premium brand, their Amazon positioning is anything but premium.
Thorne: A Brand with an Exclusive Reseller
Pattern is the dominant seller
💰 Revenue: N/A
🔹 87% of sales go through Pattern
Thorne, a leading supplement brand, sells almost exclusively through Pattern, a large eCommerce reseller.
With 87% of sales controlled by one seller, Pattern has near-complete dominance, but that remaining 13% could be a pressure point. If they want to tighten control, they may eventually push that number closer to 99%.
Why the Dominant Seller Data Matters
Amazon is a massive marketplace, but every brand operates differently. By analyzing dominant seller data, you can uncover:
Which brands control their Amazon presence vs. those that rely on resellers
How tightly a brand manages distribution and pricing
Opportunities for resellers and agencies to help brands improve their strategy
Potential vulnerabilities for brands struggling with unauthorized sellers
I speak with sellers, brands, and agencies daily. Often, they tell me one version of their Amazon story, but when I look at the data, I see a completely different reality.
That’s why, in SmartScout’s latest design, we’ve made the dominant seller data point more prominent and filterable—giving sellers the insights they need to win.
Key Takeaways
🔹 No two brands operate the same way on Amazon.
🔹 The dominant seller reveals a brand’s real strategy.
🔹 First-party sellers (1P), third-party brands (3P), and reseller-heavy brands each have unique advantages and risks.
🔹 Using data-driven tools like SmartScout can help brands refine their approach and strengthen their Amazon presence.
Curious about which brands dominate your niche? Check out SmartScout’s dominant seller feature and start analyzing today!
