What are the benefits of being an Amazon business seller?
You could be selling on Amazon as a small business, an individual distributor or a large, well-established organisation – no matter what level you are at, there is always a targeted way to growing B2B sales, and that’s Amazon Business.
Amazon Business is the perfect way to create business-only offers, thanks to its specialised suite of tools which enable smooth and seamless B2B e-commerce.
What is Amazon Business?
Imagine this for a moment: selling your products to another business without the usual sales reps’ salaries and commissions or any other middlemen who help you connect with your client. Sounds like a dream come true, right? Amazon allows you to do just that on the very same marketplace where you may already be selling to consumers. Now all you need is an Amazon Business Account.
In a nutshell, Amazon Business is a B2B marketplace which provides business Amazon customers with the same signature pricing, selection and convenience as regular non-business consumers, but with the added benefit of specific features which extend only to businesses of all scales. We’ll be discussing that later on in the article.
Today, more than a million businesses across multiple sectors buy products from the Amazon Business marketplace, including business-only items which they may not find as easily or at the same price as other online marketplaces or even brick-and-mortar shops.
According to Martin Rohde, former general manager of Amazon Business, Amazon Business provides “easy access to hundreds of millions of products – everything from IT equipment to janitorial supplies – to businesses of all sizes and across industries.”
How do I create business-only offers on Amazon Business?
As always, Amazon has made the sign up process really easy.
If you’re reading this, then chances are you are already an Amazon Seller account holder, in which case, all you need to do is sign in and check your eligibility. If not, you can create a free account. Once your account is activated, you’ll be able to enjoy the Business Seller programme benefits.
It’s important to know some basic requirements before you can start growing B2B sales on Amazon:
- Your Order Defect Rate (ODR) must be 0.5% or less
- Your pre-shipment cancellation rate needs to be under 1%
- You Late Shipment Rate must be under 2%
- You can only have a limited number of A-Z Guarantee Claims, Negative Feedback and chargebacks (get in touch with our team to learn what these are)
- If you’re a part of the Amazon tax Collection Services, then you must honour your customers’ tax exemption through Amazon’s Tax Exemption Programme only
- You must include a purchase order number, packing slip, and tracking number with every business order package you ship
Amazon Business Account – What’s in it for me?
There are many benefits you can start enjoying almost immediately once you start using Amazon for Business:
Shipping benefits and exclusive price savings
Amazon for Business allows you to offer prices which are solely available to business customers only. As an Amazon Business Account holder, you can customise pricing for all your business customers, while also accessing the most powerful fulfilment networks in the world. Specific pricing features make it really easy for your business buyers to make purchases in bulk quantities, including the option to request a special price on even larger purchases.
Amazon Business also allows you to claim diversity, quality and ownership credentials, which can make your company stand out prominently to business customers looking to learn more about what sets you apart as a supplier. If you think about, it’s a great way to guide more business buyers to your Amazon Business storefront, where you have a handful of features at your disposal to help drive more sales in a simple yet highly effective way.
Business Amazon sellers also gain access to very simple and easy-to-use dashboards which offer a straightforward way to manage your store, where proactive insights help you consistently optimise your selling strategies.
Your customers may enjoy automated tax exemption on qualified purchases if you are a part of Amazon’s Tax Exemption Programme.
You will also get exclusive business SKUs which means you can create listings purely for businesses, which only business buyers can see.
If I’m an existing Amazon seller, can I start benefitting from Amazon Business right away?
You’re in luck: the Amazon for Business programme is accessible to all Professional Sellers who have a good standing on Amazon. Naturally, Business Seller members must adhere to higher performance requirements compared to their regular business selling counterparts on Amazon.com.
Based on your performance history as an Amazon seller, you may be eligible but even if you’re not, you can make a ‘special exception for access’ to Amazon – they will review your request and contact you within three days with a response.
To touch upon it briefly, here’s what Amazon requires from its B2B sellers to be eligible for the Amazon Business Prime programme:
- Sellers must be using a Professional Seller plan if they want to use Amazon for Business to sell to other businesses.
- Eligibility is more or less based on Seller Account metrics like past Sales performance and Seller Feedback.
- You must drive external traffic to your Amazon product listings as per their A10 algorithm.
- Your current access to previous programmes will remain unchanged – e.g. FBA, FBA SnL, Amazon Home Services, Sponsored Products, etc.
- If you’re a new Amazon Seller such as a manufacturer, wholesaler, supplier, distributor or retailer serving B2B, then you must also register with Seller Central as a Professional Seller.
Great! How do I create business only offers through my Amazon Business Account?
Start by registering for a Professional Selling Account. If you are an existing seller, then all you need to do is add the Amazon for Business features through Seller Central.
Next, you need to tell your unique story through Amazon’s Profile Editor. This is where you add your certifications and credentials for business customers who are interested in knowing what sets you apart.
Now, set up your products by using the simple listing tools which allow you to add your entire catalogue. You can then use Enhanced Content to display extra product information to your business customers.
Time to start selling! You are now ready to reach thousands to millions of Amazon Business customers who are looking for suppliers like you to buy their office supplies and equipment from!
Closing thoughts on Amazon Business Prime
While signing up to be a Business Amazon Seller can be easy, it can sometimes be complex to understand whether you are eligible, or how exactly you might be able to benefit from the programme.
Chris and his team of Amazon marketing experts have been at it for years, helping sellers of all calibres prosper on the largest e-commerce platform in the world. We can help you understand the value you can gain from Amazon Business and how to make the most of it to reach your target customers. All it takes is an initial consultation.