Amazon Business is one of the most overlooked revenue channels for brands selling on Amazon, generating over $35 billion in annualized sales and serving more than 6 million business buyers worldwide. At Marknology, Andrew Morgans and our Kansas City team have helped brands unlock significant B2B revenue streams through Amazon Business that they never knew existed.
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What Is Amazon Business?
Amazon Business is Amazon's dedicated B2B marketplace, launched in 2015, that caters to business, education, government, and healthcare buyers. It operates within the same Amazon ecosystem but offers business-specific features:
- Business pricing: Exclusive pricing for business accounts, separate from consumer pricing
- Quantity discounts: Tiered pricing based on order volume
- Tax-exempt purchasing: Automatic tax exemption for qualified organizations
- Purchase orders and invoicing: Net-30 and Net-60 payment terms
- Multi-user accounts: Organizations can manage purchasing across departments
- Approval workflows: Built-in purchase approval processes for organizations
The B2B Market Opportunity
The numbers tell a compelling story about Amazon Business:
- $35B+ in annualized sales and growing rapidly
- 6 million+ business customers including 96 of the Fortune 100
- Over 300,000 sellers already on the platform
- Government and education: Thousands of schools, universities, and government agencies purchase through Amazon Business
- Average order values 2-5x higher than consumer orders
Most brands on Amazon are leaving B2B revenue on the table without even realizing it. When we activate Amazon Business features for our clients at Marknology, we typically see a 10-20% revenue lift within the first quarter. - Andrew Morgans
The B2B opportunity is especially strong for brands in the Marknology Brand Accelerator program, where we identify and capture revenue across every available channel.
How to Start Selling on Amazon Business
Activating Amazon Business is straightforward for existing sellers:
Step 1: Enable Business Features
- Log into Seller Central
- Navigate to B2B settings and enable Amazon Business features
- This is free for Professional Seller accounts
Step 2: Set Business Pricing
- Set business-only prices (typically 5-15% below consumer prices)
- Configure quantity discount tiers (e.g., 5+ units: 10% off, 20+ units: 15% off)
- Consider offering percentage-based discounts for larger orders
Step 3: Optimize Listings for Business Buyers
- Add business-relevant keywords (bulk, wholesale, office, commercial)
- Highlight durability, warranty, and commercial-grade features
- Include technical specifications that business buyers need
The Marknology team handles the full B2B setup and optimization process for our managed accounts.
B2B Pricing Strategies
B2B pricing on Amazon requires a different approach than consumer pricing:
- Business price: Set 5-15% below your consumer price to win business buyers searching with the business price filter
- Quantity tiers: Offer meaningful discounts at volumes that make sense for your product (5, 10, 25, 50, 100+ units)
- Competitive positioning: Business buyers often compare prices more rigorously than consumers. Ensure your business pricing is competitive.
- Margin protection: Higher order volumes at lower margins can be more profitable than individual consumer sales due to reduced per-unit shipping and handling costs
The key is finding the sweet spot where your business pricing is attractive enough to win B2B orders while maintaining healthy margins. Volume makes up for the reduced per-unit margin.
Amazon Business Features for Sellers
Amazon Business provides several tools to help sellers succeed in the B2B space:
- Business Profile: Create a business seller profile showcasing your company, certifications, and capabilities
- Certifications display: Highlight diversity certifications (minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned) and quality certifications (ISO, etc.)
- Quote requests: Receive and respond to RFQs from large buyers
- Business analytics: Dedicated B2B reporting in Seller Central
- Enhanced product content: Business-specific product attributes and documentation
Marknology helps brands fully leverage these features to maximize B2B visibility and conversion on Amazon.
Categories That Win on Amazon Business
While any product with business applications can succeed, these categories see the strongest B2B demand:
- Office supplies and furniture: The largest B2B category on Amazon Business
- IT and electronics: Computers, monitors, cables, and accessories for businesses
- Industrial and scientific: Lab supplies, safety equipment, tools
- Janitorial and sanitation: Cleaning supplies, paper products, hand sanitizer
- Medical supplies: Healthcare products for hospitals and clinics
- Food service: Bulk food, kitchen supplies, restaurant equipment
- Educational supplies: Classroom materials, STEM kits, art supplies
Even consumer brands can find B2B angles. Skincare brands sell to spas and salons. Food brands sell to offices and event planners. The key is identifying and targeting business use cases.
B2B Advertising on Amazon
Amazon now offers B2B-specific advertising options:
- B2B product targeting: Target your ads specifically to business buyer searches
- Business price callouts: Ads can highlight business pricing and quantity discounts
- Sponsored Products for B2B: Standard SP campaigns reach business buyers, but optimizing for B2B keywords improves efficiency
- B2B audience targeting: Through Amazon DSP, target business decision-makers specifically
Andrew Morgans has discussed B2B ecommerce strategies on Startup Hustle, and our Media Hub features additional insights on B2B marketplace strategy. For international B2B expansion, Marknology offers comprehensive market entry support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Amazon Business?
Amazon Business is Amazon's B2B marketplace serving over 6 million business buyers including companies, schools, hospitals, and government agencies. It offers business-specific features like quantity discounts, tax exemption, and purchase order workflows.
Is Amazon Business free to join?
Yes. If you already have an Amazon Professional Seller account, you can enable Amazon Business features at no additional cost.
What products sell best on Amazon Business?
Office supplies, IT equipment, industrial supplies, janitorial products, medical supplies, and educational materials are top B2B categories. However, virtually any product with business use cases can succeed.
How do I offer business pricing on Amazon?
Through Seller Central, you can set business-only prices and quantity discounts separately from your consumer pricing. Amazon Business buyers see these exclusive prices when logged into business accounts.
Can I sell to government agencies through Amazon Business?
Yes. Amazon Business includes government, education, and healthcare buyers. Some require additional compliance, but the opportunity is substantial.
How does Marknology help with Amazon B2B?
Marknology helps brands identify B2B opportunities, set up business pricing, optimize listings for business buyers, and develop B2B-specific advertising strategies.
Best, Drew