Amazon Business is providing a free platform aimed at helping the approximately 36.2 million small businesses in the United States to save money and simplify their purchasing processes. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, these businesses employ 62.3 million people and account for 43.5% of the nation's GDP. In 2024, 44% of these businesses had fewer than 250 employees, often requiring individuals to manage multiple roles, including procurement.
The Amazon Business platform mirrors the familiar interface of a personal Amazon account but includes professional features tailored for organizations. This allows businesses to compare products and prices from various sellers and benefit from Amazon's fulfillment and delivery services, including options for free one or two-day shipping through Prime Business. Centralizing procurement through a single dashboard can save time spent on tracking supplies and managing multiple vendors.
Small businesses, sole proprietorships, and LLCs can access hundreds of millions of products with business-exclusive pricing not available on personal accounts. For businesses experiencing growth, Amazon Business Prime offers a suite of premium features. These include unlimited fast, free shipping on eligible items, advanced Spend Visibility tools for analyzing purchasing trends, and the Guided Buying feature to help steer employees toward preferred products aligned with company budgets and sustainability goals. Business Prime also provides extended payment terms through Pay by Invoice, which can aid in cash flow management.
These tools are designed to enable small businesses to operate with greater efficiency and purchasing power, similar to larger corporations, by adapting to specific operational needs without adding complexity. The platform aims to make running a business more manageable through purpose-built account features and business-only pricing.