Challenge

In 2024, Dossier faced a strategic question: could Amazon deliver incremental revenue, or would it simply cannibalize DtoC sales ? With minimal branded search volume and a heavily saturated fragrance category, the opportunity was unclear. Amazon operates as a bottom-of-funnel channel, but our hypothesis was bold, could we flip the model and generate demand by replicating the competitive bidding strategies that had worked on Google ?

Strategy

We approached Amazon as a standalone performance engine. The objective was to replicate the proven Google conquesting strategy in a new ecosystem while rigorously testing for incrementality. We framed Amazon not as a support channel, but as a demand-generation and growth engine.

Execution

• Non-Brand Demand Capture: We executed a high-intent conquesting strategy, bidding on competitor fragrance keywords and positioning Dossier’s “dupes” as value-driven alternatives, where organic visibility was still limited or in development. This echoed the playbook we had proven on Google, but adapted for Amazon’s auction and behavioral signals.

• Incrementality Analysis: To validate revenue contribution, we conducted a cross-platform shipping address analysis between Amazon and Shopify. This granular study revealed that the two audiences had minimal overlap,buyers on Amazon and DTC were largely distinct. The insight was decisive: Amazon was not cannibalizing DTC; it was additive.In parallel, platform indicators such as branded share of voice and coverage tracking provided ongoing visibility into how Dossier’s presence compared to competitors,reinforcing our control across key brand touchpoints.

• Strategic Differentiation: To protect margins and maintain brand equity, we adopted a differentiated activation strategy on Amazon. While all products listed on the marketplace were also available on Dossier’s DTC site, campaign structuring and prioritization were adapted to Amazon’s search behavior,allowing us to meet demand without undermining the DTC offer. A custom automated ads management algorithm was deployed to adjust the strategy daily, optimizing for both volume and precision on high-intent keywords. This ensured efficient media spend and competitive positioning across the full product catalog.

• Full Funnel Amazon Buildout: We supported the strategy with a robust DSP rollout, leveraging retargeting, competitor conquesting, and affinity audience targeting. Campaigns mirrored Dossier’s broader brand identity while being optimized for Amazon-native conversion signals.

All figures reflect performance growth in 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Impact

Amazon moved from an auxiliary sales point to a strategic growth lever. With validated incrementality, differentiated product lines, and high-performing media, Dossier built a scalable Amazon engine. This expansion complemented DTC growth and unlocked a profitable new path to revenue diversification and brand reach.