Amazon Business

#1

Post by Bookington » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 8:09 PM UTC

Re: Amazon Business

#2

Post by bane » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 8:59 PM UTC

This is a great idea. It's amazing how many businesses keep Office Depot and Staples (and other office supply companies) on life-support simply because they're setup to handle corporate accounts. So now there's almost no reason to go to either place unless you need to print off in volume (becoming less and less common) or need something absolutely right now this second.

Re: Amazon Business

#3

Post by jhonovich » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 10:02 PM UTC

What type of discounts are available beyond what you could buy traditionally / personally?

Re: Amazon Business

#4

Post by Someone1234 » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 10:14 PM UTC

Everyone is going to focus on the discounts thing, but I think this is the real USP (over a standard account):

> Create a single or multi-user business account, approve orders

I've been in a lot of companies where they want to offload buying (e.g. office supplies, computer equipment) but don't have a dedicated department to oversee it, and don't really want to be handing out the company credit card to every employee who might need it.

Amazon's new product has two benefits: You don't have to give other employees the company credit card (presumably) and the orders come back to management for final approval. It is like having your own buying department in terms of friction (as a lot of buying departments seek final approval from management anyway).

This mostly applies to small purchases. Big purchases (e.g. servers, furniture, etc) will likely remain invoiced by the normal means even if just for cashflow. But business I've worked in spend a lot more than you'd think on Amazon just buying "day to day" bits and pieces (that are often cheaper than Staples, or similar local places).

Re: Amazon Business

#5

Post by testingonprod » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 10:18 PM UTC

So where does that leave Costco and Sam's Club?

Re: Amazon Business

#6

Post by paxtonab » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 10:22 PM UTC

A business is the perfect use case for the 1-click buy button Amazon introduced a few weeks ago, Amazon Dash.

Re: Amazon Business

#7

Post by vosper » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 10:47 PM UTC

Unconstructive nitpick: the text quality in the images on that page is awful. Very aliased, and the letters seem kind of randomly sized and kerned. It's quite strange.

Re: Amazon Business

#8

Post by geekrax » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 10:48 PM UTC

Wow. Images for the text on landing page? Seriously, Amazon?

Re: Amazon Business

#9

Post by jonknee » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 10:52 PM UTC

bane wrote: post #2

This is a great idea. It's amazing how many businesses keep Office Depot and Staples (and other office supply companies) on life-support simply because they're setup to handle corporate accounts. So now there's almost no reason to go to either place unless you need to print off in volume (becoming less and less common) or need something absolutely right now this second.

Staples isn't on life support, it was the second largest online retailer in 2014 (more than Wal-Mart, Apple, etc etc). I'm sure they're concerned about this move though, but they have a nice advantage over Amazon for doing their own deliveries through their physical stores.

Re: Amazon Business

#10

Post by jasode » Tue, Apr 28, 2015, 11:00 PM UTC

Based on Amazon's choice of clipart images (bulk janitorial supplies) and verbage (lab beakers, break room snacks) they chose to highlight this launch, it looks like AmazonBusiness is competing with companies like Global Industrial[1], ULINE[2], etc more so than Office Depot and Staples.

Most of the items (paper, pens, etc) people bought from Office Depot, they could get already get from the normal amazon.com/office.../ [3]

The integration they offer with businesses accounting systems' purchase order workflow may be another enticing feature.

[1]http://www.globalindustrial.com/

[2]http://www.uline.com/

[3]http://www.amazon.com/office-products-supplies-electronics-f...