Amazon‘s attempt to copy TikTok‘s signature feed is coming to an end. Less than three years after its initial launch, the Inspire tab will be discontinued.
Inspire first emerged in 2022 as an infinitely scrolling feed filled with product recommendations from partnered influencers. When it went live for all U.S. users a year later, Inspire looked like an appealing mix of affiliate marketing and short-form video, but it struggled to catch on as a shoppable hub.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed to The Information that Inspire will be shuttered. “We regularly evaluate various features to better align with what customers tell us matters most, and as part of that, Inspire is no longer available,” the spokesperson said.
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For users interested in social shopping experiences, Amazon offers a few products that could serve as de facto replacements for what Inspire offered. Its in-feed integrations on TikTok are still available. Elsewhere in the world of ecommerce, Amazon has supported creators through an investment in Spotter.
Though TikTok clones are a dime a dozen these days, the timing of the Inspire shutdown is still a bit strange. As TikTok’s operational future in the U.S. hangs in the balance, rival platforms have concocted their versions of the For You Page to appeal to any TikTokers who may be displaced by federal restrictions. Inspire could have been Amazon’s take on that strategy, but it won’t be the case.
Even if Amazon isn’t destined to become the next TikTok, its powerful status in the affiliate marketing world makes it an attractive home for shoppable creator content. Experiments like Buy It Now — a bite-sized take on Shark Tank — show us what Amazon’s approach to ecommerce could look like moving forward.
Success stories like TikTok Shop reveal that the U.S. creator economy is due for further increases in 2025. Amazon could be a big part of that swell. All it needs is a bit of inspiration.
