Nike calls off pilot program with Amazon ending direct sales

Nike is ending a sales partnership with Amazon less than a month after the athletic gear company named an e-commerce veteran as its new chief executive.

The company says it wants to create a more direct customer experience, but the announcement Wednesday is a setback for Amazon.

Amazon is under pressure from big-name brands to cut back on fake goods from third-party sellers. Nike announced the pilot program with Amazon in 2017, hoping that it would have more control over the brand if it were more closely involved.

Industry analysts who have monitored the partnership say it appears that those problems have continued.

Amazon has acknowledged problematic sales of counterfeit goods on the site this year and introduced new tools stop them.

Amazon didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.