Amazon Kills Inspire: TikTok-Style Feed Shut Down

Amazon Discontinues "Inspire" Short-Form Video Feed

Amazon is ending support for “Inspire,” its short-form video and photo feed. This feature, previously integrated into the Amazon mobile app, resembled TikTok in its format.

Functionality of Inspire

The Inspire feed provided a platform for users to discover products. It enabled shopping directly from content created by influencers, brands, and fellow customers.

Official Statement on the Shutdown

A representative for the company verified the discontinuation to TechCrunch. They stated that regular evaluations of features are conducted to ensure alignment with customer preferences, and as a result, Inspire is no longer accessible.

Timing and Potential Alternatives

The decision to remove Inspire arrives at a time when TikTok faces regulatory challenges within the United States. Inspire presented a potential alternative for American consumers seeking product insights from TikTok content creators.

Amazon's Focus on Other Social Channels

Amazon has been actively expanding its presence on other social media platforms. This reduces the necessity for maintaining its own dedicated short-video feature.

Recent Partnerships

In November 2023, Amazon established a partnership with Instagram. This integration streamlined the shopping experience, allowing users to purchase products directly within the Meta-owned application.

Simultaneously, a collaboration with Snap was initiated, enabling users to buy Amazon products through social advertisements.

Initial Launch and Social Commerce

Inspire was initially introduced in 2022, coinciding with the growing trend of social commerce.

Creator Compensation Controversy

The feature encountered controversy in August 2023. Amazon attempted to incentivize content creation by inviting select influencers to submit videos.

The offered compensation, $12,500 for up to 500 videos or $25 per qualifying video, was widely considered insufficient by many creators.

Creator Revenue and Platform Choice

A contributing factor to Inspire’s shutdown may have been the limited content creation. Creators could potentially earn higher revenue on alternative platforms.

Alternative Sources of Inspiration

While the spokesperson did not elaborate on the specific reasons for the shutdown, they highlighted other avenues for customers to find inspiration. These include Amazon’s creator storefronts and curated product collections.

New AI Features

The company also emphasized its new artificial intelligence features, such as the shopping assistant, Rufus, which was launched the previous year.

Seamless Social Media Integration

“Beyond Amazon, we recognize that customers seek inspiration and product recommendations on social feeds,” the spokesperson added. “We are innovating to enhance the shopping experience for Amazon products through integrated social media solutions.”

Testing of External Website Redirection

Amazon is currently testing a new feature. This feature redirects shoppers to external brand websites when a searched-for product is unavailable on Amazon.