Target Plus and Amazon aren't really competing for the same decision from a seller's perspective โ they're solving different problems. Amazon is a volume and reach play open to nearly any qualifying business; Target Plus is a curated, invitation-gated storefront that trades reach for brand association. Comparing them on a single axis like "which is better" misses why brands choose one, the other, or both.
Traffic Volume Isn't Close
Amazon's third-party marketplace draws vastly more daily shopping traffic than Target Plus, simply by virtue of scale and the sheer size of Amazon's active customer base. Target Plus traffic is smaller and more curated โ shoppers browsing Target.com skew toward a specific demographic and shopping occasion, which can mean lower volume but a more predictable, brand-aligned buyer. Sellers expecting Target Plus to replace Amazon's volume are usually disappointed; that was never really the value proposition.
Margins and Fee Comparison
Referral-style fee rates on both platforms fall in a broadly similar range by category, but the total cost of doing business differs โ Amazon's fulfillment and advertising ecosystem is more mature and more competitive to buy into, while Target Plus has less advertising inventory and generally less price competition within a listing since Target curates who's allowed to sell a given product. Some sellers find Target Plus margins hold up better simply because there's less of a race to the bottom on price within a listing.
Brand Positioning and Perceived Quality
- Target's curated approval process functions as an implicit quality signal that shoppers associate with the retailer's own brand standards
- Amazon's open marketplace model means brand perception is built listing-by-listing, seller-by-seller, with less halo effect from the platform itself
- Brands positioning themselves at a premium price point sometimes find Target Plus's shopper base a better match for that positioning than Amazon's price-comparison-heavy audience
Where Amazon Clearly Wins
For sellers prioritizing volume, fast time-to-market, and access to Amazon's logistics and advertising infrastructure, Amazon remains the more scalable option โ there's no approval gate holding back growth once you're operating within the rules. Amazon is also simply a bigger addressable market in the vast majority of categories, which matters most for brands still building initial traction.
Where Target Plus Has an Edge
For established brands with strong product photography, consistent quality, and a story that fits Target's overall retail brand, Target Plus offers a less crowded shelf and a shopper base that arrives already trusting the retailer's curation. It tends to work best as a complement to an existing, functioning sales channel rather than a first channel for a brand-new business still finding its footing.
The Practical Answer: Sequencing, Not Choosing
Most brands that succeed on both start with Amazon to build sales history, reviews, and operational muscle, then apply to Target Plus once they have the track record and content quality Target's application process is looking for. Treating Target Plus as a later-stage addition rather than a starting point matches how the platform's own approval bar tends to work in practice.