Amazon.com Thursday
agreed to provide the technology to handle online sales for the sports
merchandise stores on NBA.com and WNBA.com.
Under the multi-year agreement with the National Basketball Association
(NBA) and Foot Locker, shoppers will be able to purchase NBA and WNBA
merchandise such as jerseys and T-shirts through Amazon.com’s Apparel & Accessories store as well
as the NBA.com and WNBA.com stores.
The NBA hopes to benefit from Amazon’s wide-ranging brand, using Amazon’s
technology platform to let customers access the NBA and WNBA online stores
with their Amazon.com accounts. Customers may purchase NBA and WNBA
merchandise through a co-branded Amazon.com-NBA.com and WNBA.com order
pipeline, as well as use Amazon’s search capability to find products.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Athletic apparel outfit Foot
Locker will provide fulfillment and customer service for The NBA Store
NBA.com and The WNBA Store on WNBA.com.
“This partnership with a professional sports league of NBA’s caliber is a
strong recognition of the power of the Amazon.com platform and reflection of
our relentless commitment to the customer,” said Owen Van Natta, vice
president of Worldwide Business Development, Amazon.com.
The play is indicative of Amazon’s capacity for growth online, where it
often vies with auction powerhouse eBay
for e-commerce real estate.
Seattle’s Amazon late last year took over a number of struggling e-commerce
operations, including Borders.com and CDNow.
Meanwhile, eBay scooped up popular bargain
shopping site Half.com and has quietly been integrating it into its fold
since.
Earlier this month, Google secured the
right to provide paid links and Web search on Amazon.com.
Amazon to Power Online Sales for NBA
