Choosing an Amazon advertising agency has never been harder. Not because there aren't enough options…quite the opposite.
There are hundreds of agencies that claim Amazon expertise. Most offer similar services. Most promise better ROAS. Most have case studies. And on paper, many look nearly identical.
The problem is that Amazon has changed dramatically over the last several years, while many agency evaluation processes haven't. Too many RFPs are still designed for the Amazon of 2019.
Today's Amazon is a fundamentally different platform, and the agencies that succeed on it look very different, too. If you're evaluating agency partners in 2026, here are the questions that actually matter.
Quick Answer: What Should You Look for in an Amazon Advertising Agency?
Choosing an Amazon advertising agency is about much more than finding a partner that can improve ROAS. As Amazon has evolved into a full-funnel media platform, the capabilities brands should evaluate have changed as well.
When comparing agencies, look for these six core capabilities:
- Full-funnel Amazon media expertise that spans Sponsored Ads, DSP, Streaming TV, and the entire customer journey.
- Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) fluency to measure performance, uncover insights, and inform future strategy.
- Category-specific strategic thinking, rather than a one-size-fits-all playbook applied across every brand.
- Content optimization and retail readiness expertise that improves both paid and organic performance.
- A strategic partnership mindset that challenges assumptions, identifies growth barriers, and pushes your business forward.
- A customized approach built around your brand's unique goals, whether that's increasing household penetration, building loyalty, or expanding market share.
The strongest agencies don't simply offer these capabilities individually, they know how to connect them into a cohesive growth strategy. Instead of focusing solely on campaign metrics, they help brands solve broader business challenges and build sustainable, long-term growth.
Amazon Isn't Just a Point-of-Purchase Platform Anymore
One of the biggest shifts brands need to recognize is that Amazon is no longer simply where customers go to buy products:
- It's where they research.
- It's where they discover brands.
- It's where they're influenced.
- It's where they compare products long before making a purchase.
In other words, Amazon has evolved into a full-funnel media platform. Sponsored Ads are only one piece of the equation now. Brands are increasingly investing across Amazon DSP, Streaming TV, and upper-funnel media to influence shoppers throughout their buying journey.
That evolution has changed what great agency work looks like, but unfortunately, many agencies are still operating from an older playbook.
The First Red Flag: They're Still Running a 2019 Strategy
One of the easiest mistakes to make during an RFP is assuming every Amazon agency has evolved alongside the platform. Many are still primarily focused on capturing existing demand rather than creating it. That approach worked when Amazon functioned primarily as a conversion engine, but It doesn't reflect how consumers shop today.
When evaluating agencies, don't just ask how long they've managed Amazon advertising, ask how their strategy has changed over the past five years.
If the answer sounds like the same media plan applied across every client and category, that's a (big) warning sign.
Stop Leading With ROAS
Perhaps the biggest mistake brands make during agency evaluations is opening with one question: "What ROAS can you deliver?"
It's not a bad question, it's just an incomplete one.
Focusing exclusively on ROAS often traps brands into optimizing only for the bottom of the funnel while overlooking the broader business challenges limiting growth. Instead, shift the conversation.
Ask an agency:
- What do you believe is holding our brand back?
- Where do you see opportunities we're missing?
- What's preventing us from growing household penetration?
- How would you help us build customer loyalty?
- What would you prioritize beyond paid media?
Those answers tell you far more about an agency's strategic capabilities than a performance benchmark ever will.
Look for a Strategic Partner, Not an Order Taker
A good agency delivers what you ask for. A great agency challenges whether you're asking for the right thing.
That's an important distinction.
If an agency simply accepts your KPIs without questioning whether they're aligned with your long-term business goals, they're likely acting as an execution partner rather than a strategic one.
The best agency relationships include healthy pushback. They help identify blind spots, challenge assumptions, introduce new ways to measure success, and most importantly, they aren't afraid to tell you when your current approach may be limiting growth.
Evaluate Capabilities That Match Today's Amazon
Once you've established strategic fit, it's time to evaluate capabilities. In 2026, several have become table stakes:
Full-Funnel Media Expertise
An agency should be able to connect every stage of the customer journey from awareness through purchase. That includes experience across:
- Sponsored Ads
- Amazon DSP
- Streaming TV
- Upper-funnel awareness
- Lower-funnel demand capture
The goal isn't simply running each channel independently, it's understanding how they work together to move customers through the funnel now that those interactions are measurable.
Amazon Marketing Cloud (AMC) Fluency
As retail media networks continue investing in measurement and first-party data environments, agencies need more than surface-level familiarity with AMC.
They should understand how to use it to:
- Measure performance
- Generate strategic insights
- Inform optimization decisions
- Influence future media strategy
AMC isn't just another reporting tool, it's becoming a competitive advantage for agencies that know how to apply it.
Category-Specific Strategy
No two brands should receive the same media plan.
Different categories have different purchase cycles, competitive landscapes, customer behaviors and retail challenges. Your agency should be able to explain why your strategy is unique, not simply present a polished version of the same framework they've shown every other prospective client.
Don't Forget About Organic Performance
Media is only one part of Amazon success. If paid traffic lands on weak product content or an unhealthy catalog, performance suffers regardless of campaign quality. That's why agency conversations should extend beyond advertising.
Ask whether they'll help improve:
- Product content
- Organic visibility
- Catalog health
- Overall product discoverability
Because growing an eCommerce business requires much more than buying traffic.
A Better RFP Starts With Better Inputs
One of the most overlooked parts of an agency evaluation happens before agencies ever present. The quality of your brief determines the quality of the strategy you'll receive.
If your RFP simply says, "We want to grow Amazon sales," don't be surprised when every agency responds with similar recommendations.
Instead, be specific and share the real business challenge: Maybe you're trying to increase household penetration, or loyalty is declining. Maybe you're struggling within a specific retailer or audience segment. The more context you provide, the more tailored (and valuable!) the agency's recommendations become.
The Best Agency Relationships Go Beyond Campaigns
Twelve months into a successful partnership, conversations should look very different than they did during the RFP. You're no longer discussing campaign metrics alone, you're discussing:
- Competitive pressures
- White-space opportunities
- Internal business priorities
- Emerging customer trends
- What's accelerating growth, and what's holding it back
At that point, the agency isn't simply managing media, they're functioning as an extension of your business. That's ultimately what brands should be evaluating from the beginning.
The Bottom Line
The best Amazon advertising agency isn't the one that promises the highest ROAS. It's the one that understands how Amazon has evolved, and has evolved with it.
Look beyond campaign execution, performance projections and generic capabilities decks. Instead, find a partner that challenges your thinking, builds strategies around your specific business goals, understands the full-funnel nature of modern retail media, and brings expertise that extends beyond paid media alone.
Because in 2026, winning on Amazon isn't about finding an agency that can run ads. It's about finding one that can help move your business forward