Xin Ou
Research expert covering Greater China
Amazon Business - statistics & facts
After becoming the undisputed leader of the business-to-consumer (B2C) marketplace model in North America and Europe, Amazon has spread its wings to business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. Launched in 2015, the now thriving Amazon Business marketplace replaced pre-existing Amazon Supply, which was Bezos’s first attempt at creating a B2B marketplace for the U.S. market. The platform mostly addresses business organizations, which can pay a Business Prime subscription tailored to their needs.
The B2B platform also invested in reaching those companies which do not use marketplaces. Big organizations employing procurement software for their business purchases might access Amazon’s inventory thanks to punch-out tools implemented in their digital procurement platforms. As of 2023, about 70 percent of Amazon’s eProcurement integrations were multi-category and did not focus solely on one industry. This is also due to the fact that Amazon Business is a generalist marketplace itself.
A marketplace with growth potential
As it was for its B2C equivalent, Amazon Business started operating in the United States, where it generates the most revenue. In its headquarters’ home, the platform's market share is forecast to grow in the B2B e-commerce sector. This is also due to the favorable momentum marketplaces gained over the last years. Outside of the United States, Amazon Business is currently available to businesses based in Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Japan, India, and Mexico. In 2022, the combined value of gross merchandise volume (GMV) of Amazon Business amounted to 41.5 billion U.S. dollars, and nearly a twofold increase was forecast by 2025.More customers through new services
The shopping experience on marketplaces has undeniable advantages for users and can easily be adapted for mobile usage. In the U.S. market, Amazon Business went a step further by launching the so-called 3-Way Match service on the Amazon Business app. The 3-Way Match service enables U.S. users to match and verify their purchase orders, making the procurement process more streamlined and efficient.The B2B platform also invested in reaching those companies which do not use marketplaces. Big organizations employing procurement software for their business purchases might access Amazon’s inventory thanks to punch-out tools implemented in their digital procurement platforms. As of 2023, about 70 percent of Amazon’s eProcurement integrations were multi-category and did not focus solely on one industry. This is also due to the fact that Amazon Business is a generalist marketplace itself.
The market is getting more competitive
Competitors of Amazon Business hail from different markets and regions. EBay, also based in the United States, is the second-most popular B2B marketplace across the globe. Like Amazon, eBay is a B2B pioneer, having started the Business Supply platform in 2016. Alibaba is the affirmed giant in the Chinese e-commerce market with a small yet expanding international presence. In the lively startup scene of B2B e-commerce, the wholesale furniture marketplace Faire has raised significant funding capital, causing rumors of a possible future initial public offering (IPO).
