> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.onlinebrandgrowth.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# When Should a Brand Hire an Amazon Agency?

> Signals that it's time to hire an Amazon agency, when to stay in-house, and what to look for in an agency partner.

**A brand should consider hiring an Amazon agency when the channel's complexity outgrows internal capacity: growth has stalled, profitability is eroding, unauthorized sellers are out of control, or no one internally owns Amazon end to end.** If none of those apply, staying in-house is often the right call.

## Signals It's Time

* **Stalled growth** - revenue is flat while weaker competitors gain share in your niche
* **Eroding margin** - channel profitability has slipped to low single digits and no one can explain exactly why
* **Unauthorized seller chaos** - your Buy Box is being hijacked and MAP violations are angering retail partners ([what to do](/guides/unauthorized-seller-removal))
* **No internal owner** - Amazon is a part-time responsibility split across people who also do other jobs
* **Rising complexity** - fees, ad types, and policies change constantly and keeping up is a full-time job in itself

## When to Stay In-House

* You have a dedicated, experienced Amazon operator (or team) with capacity
* Your catalog is small and stable and the channel is already profitable
* You mainly need execution bandwidth, not strategy - contractors may suffice

For a fuller breakdown, see [Agency vs. In-House](/comparisons/agency-vs-in-house).

## What to Look For in an Agency

* **Aligned incentives** - compensation tied to your profit, not your ad spend or revenue
* **No lock-in** - confidence enough to let you leave any time
* **In-house delivery** - who actually touches your account matters
* **Senior involvement** - are the people who sold you still involved after signing?

These criteria are, not coincidentally, how OBG is built - see [OBG vs. a typical agency](/comparisons/obg-vs-typical-agency). A low-risk first step either way: run the [DIY audit checklist](/guides/amazon-audit-checklist) or get a free professional [OBG360 Audit](https://www.onlinebrandgrowth.com/#book-call).