Amazon Business is an excellent tool for small business owners looking to tap into an extensive network of SMB products. Amazon Prime is also a good tool for very small companies looking to utilize Amazon features they already participate in. Understanding the two types of accounts, how they can benefit your business, and why it's important to consider both can help you build a better business using e-commerce technology.
What is Amazon Business?
Amazon Business provides its users a purchasing solution for their registered business of any size. Each business can assign users who are allowed to go in and purchase business supplies on Amazon on behalf of their employers. The main administrator can add authorized users or remove them as needed, and manage payment methods, shipping addresses, approval workflows, reporting options and more, based on the needs of the business.
"We provide easy access to hundreds of millions of products – everything from IT equipment to janitorial supplies – to businesses of all sizes and across industries," said Martin Rohde, director of the commercial vertical at Amazon Business.
Price savings and shipping options
Amazon Business offers exclusive price savings and shipping benefits for its registered business members. Anyone with a business account can purchase via Amazon.com. Account holders receive price breaks on multi-unit purchases, general price cuts on millions of business products, and the opportunity to compare prices from multiple sellers. You can even request quantity discounts from some sellers.
"We constantly hear from Amazon Business customers that our business-only prices across such a vast selection of products are key to solving their 'tail spending' challenges (money spent on nonplanned or managed supplies, spanning a broad range of categories)," Rohde said. "Tail spend can be costly and time-consuming for businesses, as it often requires managing hundreds or even thousands of different suppliers."
If you have a single-user business account, you can apply your existing Prime account to your business account at no additional cost. This option gives you unlimited free two-day shipping on eligible items. If you don't already have a Prime shipping account, you can add one to your business account based on how many users or employees you have. Up to 10 users costs $499 a year, up to 100 users is $1,299 per year, and more than 100 users is $10,099 per year. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial.
Payment options
You or another administrator of your Amazon Business account can add individual or shared payment options. Shared payment methods include credit cards, debit cards and the Amazon corporate credit line. Any authorized user of your business account can use the payment method of choice to purchase items on your business's behalf. While all your authorized account users can use the card you register, to increase security, they will only be able to see the last four digits.
The Amazon corporate credit line expands your user and management options, giving you the ability to authorize multiple buyers on a single account, download order history reports and pay by purchase order, according to Rohde. It also has easy-to-understand statements and no annual fee. Account administrators can manage individual and shared payment methods and shipping addresses to make ordering seamless for all purchasers in your company.
"We recognize that business customers need to manage a single payment relationship with Amazon Business and receive standardized invoices, while also having the flexibility to purchase from millions of suppliers," said Rohde.
Advantages for small businesses
Many businesses have the opportunity for tax exemption under the Amazon Tax Exemption Program (ATEP). Amazon provides a tool to help you determine if you qualify for the program. The program then allows you to apply your tax-exempt status to eligible purchases from Amazon and all of its affiliates. You don't even need an Amazon Business account to take advantage of this benefit.
Amazon Business also provides some transparency into the supply chain purchasing process with the analytics dashboard.
"Customers can look at their spending activity and total costs on purchases at the individual, purchasing group or type of spend level – giving small businesses the information they need to better control their bottom line," Rohde said.
He added that small business sellers on Amazon Business have the opportunity to grow their sales by reaching millions of business customers across the globe.
What customers say
Having touted its "tailored business experience," has Amazon come through on the promise of Amazon Business? Its growing numbers of customers certainly think so.
"We have our Amazon Business account to mainly take advantage the Amazon Tax Exemption Program," said Rob Boirun, CEO at Reviewster Network. "So, in addition to getting tax-free purchases, we love the program's ease of use in ordering and reordering our most common items. When we run out of printer toner or other office supplies, we can easily order within a few seconds, and the items are in the office two days later."
Boirun said his company has also used Amazon Business for larger purchases, leveraging payment options where the firm can split up the payments between different people in the company. "For example, we purchased a new Wi-Fi router and were able to split up the bill so that four different people using it would each pay 25%."
Amazon Business helps some companies more than others in certain areas, and company decision-makers should know those caveats before signing on with the program.
Read More
What is Amazon Business?
Amazon Business provides its users a purchasing solution for their registered business of any size. Each business can assign users who are allowed to go in and purchase business supplies on Amazon on behalf of their employers. The main administrator can add authorized users or remove them as needed, and manage payment methods, shipping addresses, approval workflows, reporting options and more, based on the needs of the business.
"We provide easy access to hundreds of millions of products – everything from IT equipment to janitorial supplies – to businesses of all sizes and across industries," said Martin Rohde, director of the commercial vertical at Amazon Business.
Price savings and shipping options
Amazon Business offers exclusive price savings and shipping benefits for its registered business members. Anyone with a business account can purchase via Amazon.com. Account holders receive price breaks on multi-unit purchases, general price cuts on millions of business products, and the opportunity to compare prices from multiple sellers. You can even request quantity discounts from some sellers.
"We constantly hear from Amazon Business customers that our business-only prices across such a vast selection of products are key to solving their 'tail spending' challenges (money spent on nonplanned or managed supplies, spanning a broad range of categories)," Rohde said. "Tail spend can be costly and time-consuming for businesses, as it often requires managing hundreds or even thousands of different suppliers."
If you have a single-user business account, you can apply your existing Prime account to your business account at no additional cost. This option gives you unlimited free two-day shipping on eligible items. If you don't already have a Prime shipping account, you can add one to your business account based on how many users or employees you have. Up to 10 users costs $499 a year, up to 100 users is $1,299 per year, and more than 100 users is $10,099 per year. You can sign up for a free 30-day trial.
Payment options
You or another administrator of your Amazon Business account can add individual or shared payment options. Shared payment methods include credit cards, debit cards and the Amazon corporate credit line. Any authorized user of your business account can use the payment method of choice to purchase items on your business's behalf. While all your authorized account users can use the card you register, to increase security, they will only be able to see the last four digits.
The Amazon corporate credit line expands your user and management options, giving you the ability to authorize multiple buyers on a single account, download order history reports and pay by purchase order, according to Rohde. It also has easy-to-understand statements and no annual fee. Account administrators can manage individual and shared payment methods and shipping addresses to make ordering seamless for all purchasers in your company.
"We recognize that business customers need to manage a single payment relationship with Amazon Business and receive standardized invoices, while also having the flexibility to purchase from millions of suppliers," said Rohde.
Advantages for small businesses
Many businesses have the opportunity for tax exemption under the Amazon Tax Exemption Program (ATEP). Amazon provides a tool to help you determine if you qualify for the program. The program then allows you to apply your tax-exempt status to eligible purchases from Amazon and all of its affiliates. You don't even need an Amazon Business account to take advantage of this benefit.
Amazon Business also provides some transparency into the supply chain purchasing process with the analytics dashboard.
"Customers can look at their spending activity and total costs on purchases at the individual, purchasing group or type of spend level – giving small businesses the information they need to better control their bottom line," Rohde said.
He added that small business sellers on Amazon Business have the opportunity to grow their sales by reaching millions of business customers across the globe.
What customers say
Having touted its "tailored business experience," has Amazon come through on the promise of Amazon Business? Its growing numbers of customers certainly think so.
"We have our Amazon Business account to mainly take advantage the Amazon Tax Exemption Program," said Rob Boirun, CEO at Reviewster Network. "So, in addition to getting tax-free purchases, we love the program's ease of use in ordering and reordering our most common items. When we run out of printer toner or other office supplies, we can easily order within a few seconds, and the items are in the office two days later."
Boirun said his company has also used Amazon Business for larger purchases, leveraging payment options where the firm can split up the payments between different people in the company. "For example, we purchased a new Wi-Fi router and were able to split up the bill so that four different people using it would each pay 25%."
Amazon Business helps some companies more than others in certain areas, and company decision-makers should know those caveats before signing on with the program.
Read More
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