Amazon has a plan to index the world’s online shopping data
What happened
Amazon is developing a project called the World Product Graph, which aims to create a comprehensive database of products sold across the internet, including items not available on Amazon. The initiative is intended to keep shoppers using Amazon's platform for product research and to enhance the accuracy of its AI shopping assistant. The project may involve collecting data from other retailers' websites. An internal document mentions a possible release date of October 1, 2027, but Amazon has stated that plans are not final.
Key details
- Project name: World Product Graph
- Possible release date: October 1, 2027
- May involve crawling other retailers' websites for product data
- Intended to improve the Alexa for Shopping AI assistant (formerly called Rufus)
- Amazon has begun showing links to external retailers through its 'shop direct' feature
Why it matters
Online retailers and brands may see their product information indexed by Amazon, even if they do not sell on its platform. Shoppers using Amazon or its AI assistant could access a broader range of product data without leaving Amazon's site. This could affect how consumers research and purchase products online, and may influence the visibility and traffic to other retailers' websites.