Amazon today launched its new Amazon Business marketplace with “hundreds of millions of products” and what it calls business-only pricing and selection, free two-day shipping, and a number of other new features.
Registration for an Amazon Business account is free. Once registered, customers will have access to business-friendly features, such as purchase approval workflows, integration with third-party purchasing systems, managing tax-exempt purchases and permissions, and adding purchase order numbers to purchases.
In addition to the management tools, there’s free two-day shipping on orders of $49 or more, plus a selection that includes “hard-to-find items like traffic signs, industrial deep fryers, antibodies, 55-gallon steel drums, (and) dent pullers,” according to an Amazon description.
“We’ve heard from business customers that they love the convenience of shopping online, and want an experience at work that is similar to how they shop at home,” says Prentis Wilson, vice president of Amazon Business, in a statement.
At the same time, Amazon is reaching out to sellers of business goods. Its Amazon Business Seller program allows sellers to list products in 45 business categories, from office to scientific. Seller tools, both in the U.S. and internationally, include specifying quantity purchase discounts and listing credentials such as ISO 9001 certified, or small business, women-, minority- and veteran-owned. Amazon also says Amazon Business works with the Fulfillment by Amazon service.