Physical Address
College House, 2nd Floor, 17 King Edwards Road, London, HA4 7AE
Do you buy supplies for your business? If you already shop on Amazon for personal items, you might be missing out on something even better for your company’s needs. Amazon has created a special account just for businesses called Amazon Business. Whether you run a small shop or a large company, an Amazon Business account offers special features that make buying supplies easier and cheaper.
Over 5 million businesses now use this service. In this guide, we’ll look at how an Amazon Business account works, what makes it different from a personal account, and all the benefits it offers. By the end, you’ll see why so many business owners have made the switch.
Table of Contents
What Is an Amazon Business Account?
Amazon Business (Paid link) is like a special version of the shopping site that’s made just for companies. When it launched in 2015, Amazon said it combines “the selection, convenience, and value customers have come to know and love from Amazon, with new features and benefits tailored to businesses.”
Think of it as similar to Amazon Prime, but with extra tools made for business needs. It lets companies:
- Choose which employees can buy things
- Get business-only prices
- See detailed reports of what they’re spending
- And much more!
12 Amazing Benefits of an Amazon Business Account
1. It’s Free to Join
Creating an Amazon Business account (Paid link) costs nothing. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or a company with hundreds of employees, you can sign up for free. You only pay for what you buy and optional upgrades like Amazon Business Prime shipping.
Tip: When you sign up, use your work email instead of your personal one. This helps keep your business and personal purchases separate.
2. Enhanced Shipping Options for Businesses
While the basic Amazon Business account is free, you can upgrade to get additional benefits like those you might be familiar with from a prime membership. These business-specific options are designed with company needs in mind and offer different tiers:
- Essentials: $499/year for up to 10 users
- Small: $1,299/year for up to 100 users
- Medium: $4,999/year for up to 100 users with extra features
- Enterprise: $10,099/year for over 100 users
There’s also a duo option for very small businesses that costs less than the Essentials plan.
3. Free Shipping on Eligible Items
Business subscribers get free shipping on eligible items. Even without a paid upgrade, all orders over $25 qualify for free standard shipping on eligible products.
Upgraded business accounts get:
- Free two-day shipping on millions of items
- Free same-day delivery in some areas
- Consolidated shipping options to reduce package waste
These shipping benefits can save your business hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year.
4. Special Business Pricing Not Available to Regular Shoppers
One of the biggest prime benefits that carries over to the business side is special pricing. Because businesses often buy in larger amounts, you’ll get:
- Business-only prices on millions of products
- Discounts when you buy multiple items
- The ability to ask sellers for special prices on large orders
- Easy price comparisons from different sellers
These discounts can add up to big savings, especially if your business buys a lot of supplies. This is truly one of the most popular benefits of Amazon Business.
5. Exclusive Business Deals During Shopping Events
Amazon Business customers get access to exclusive deals during special events like Prime Day throughout the year. These are special discounts on business products that aren’t available to regular shoppers.
During these sales events, business subscribers often find huge discounts on:
- Office supplies
- Computer equipment
- Break room supplies
- Business furniture
- And much more!
6. Multiple Users Can Share One Account
Unlike a standard shopping account, an Amazon Business account lets multiple people buy things using the same account. You can:
- Add team members with specific permissions
- Set up approval processes for larger purchases
- Set spending limits for different users
- Group users by department
- Share payment methods while keeping things secure
This makes it much easier to manage who can buy what for your business.
7. Easy-to-Understand Spending Reports
Amazon Business provides simple reports that show what your company is buying. These tools show:
- What your business is spending money on
- Who is making purchases
- How much you’re spending over time
- Where you might be able to save money
These reports are much more detailed than what you get with a regular shopping account and help you make smarter decisions about your business spending.
8. More Ways to Pay Than Regular Accounts
While regular shoppers typically use credit cards or gift cards, Amazon Business offers payment options made for businesses:
- Business credit lines with extended payment terms
- The ability to pay by purchase order
- Tools to match invoices with purchases
- Multiple payment methods on one account
- Shared payment methods for approved users
These options help businesses manage their money more effectively.
9. Business-Only Products Not Found on Regular Amazon
Amazon Business (Paid link) and Amazon may look similar, but the business version gives you access to millions of products, including many that aren’t available to regular shoppers:
- Professional-grade equipment and supplies
- Bulk products sold by the case
- Specialized business equipment
- Replacement parts for business machines
- Business software solutions
Many of these products include detailed information that businesses need to make good decisions.
10. Tax Exemption Benefits
For eligible organizations, Amazon’s Tax Exemption Program can save a lot of money:
- Apply tax-exempt status to your purchases
- Store tax exemption certificates for different states
- Automatically apply tax exemptions when you check out
- Get reports for tax documentation
This feature isn’t available with regular Amazon accounts and can save qualifying businesses significant money.
11. Entertainment Services Included with Premium Options
Premium business accounts include access to streaming video and music services. This means you can enjoy Prime Video and Amazon Music, giving you:
- Thousands of movies and TV shows
- Original content
- Millions of songs and playlists
- Ad-free music streaming
These entertainment options are just like the ones regular shoppers enjoy with an Amazon Prime membership.
12. Additional Business Tools and Services
Business subscribers get access to additional productivity tools that aren’t included with standard shopping subscriptions. These include:
- Secure file storage and sharing services
- Collaboration tools for teams
- Document management systems
- Cloud storage options
- Business analytics tools
These added benefits help businesses collaborate more effectively and stay organized.
How Business Accounts Compare to Regular Shopping Accounts
| Feature | Business Account | Regular Shopping Account |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to join | Free (Premium options available) | Free (Subscription available for $139/year) |
| Multiple users | Yes – with controls | No – one user only |
| Business-only pricing | Yes | No |
| Quantity discounts | Yes | Limited |
| Tax exemption | Yes | No |
| Spending reports | Detailed | Basic |
| Payment options | Business credit, purchase orders | Personal payment methods only |
| Entertainment services | Yes (with premium options) | Yes (with subscription) |
| Music streaming | Yes (with premium options) | Yes (with subscription) |
| Exclusive deals | Business-specific | Consumer-focused |
| Additional business tools | Yes | No |
Is a Business Account Right for Your Company?
Great for:
- Small business owners looking to save money on supplies
- Medium-sized companies wanting better control over purchasing
- Large businesses needing detailed spending reports
- Schools that can benefit from tax exemption
- Government offices with special purchasing rules
- Hospitals needing medical supplies
- Nonprofits looking to stretch their budgets
Might not be needed if:
- You rarely buy business supplies
- You only need things Amazon doesn’t sell
- Your business has contracts that don’t allow Amazon purchases
How to Get the Most from Your Business Account
Once you set up your account, try these tips:
- Decide who can buy what – Set up user permissions right away
- Look into premium options – See if the shipping savings are worth the yearly fee
- Set up tax exemption if you qualify – This can save money immediately
- Connect to your accounting system – Makes tracking expenses easier
- Find your favorite suppliers – Mark them as preferred vendors
- Create clear buying rules – Make sure everyone knows what they can buy
- Look at your reports regularly – Find ways to save money
- Train your team – Make sure everyone knows how to use the system
Setting Up Your Business Account: Easy Steps
Getting started with Amazon Business is simple:
- Visit Amazon Business (Paid link) and click “Create a free account”
- Enter your work email (not personal email)
- Share some basic information about your business
- Verify your email address
- Add payment methods and shipping addresses
- Invite team members and set permissions
- Set up tax exemption if you qualify
- Consider premium options if you want additional features
The whole process usually takes less than 30 minutes, and you can start buying right away after verification.
To Sum it All Up
An Amazon Business account offers features that work a lot like Prime and Business Prime combined, but specifically tailored for your company’s needs. With special business pricing, multi-user capabilities, detailed reports, and many other features designed specifically for businesses, it’s clear why millions of organizations have made the switch.
Best of all, it’s free to join and try out, so businesses of any size can see if it works for them. As your business grows, your account can grow with you, offering more features as you need them.
Whether you occasionally buy office supplies or manage thousands of dollars in purchases each month, this specialized business account offers benefits that can help your business save money and work more efficiently.
FAQ
Do Amazon Business accounts get a discount?
Yes, Amazon Business accounts offer business-only pricing, bulk discounts, and price breaks on multi-unit purchases for select items. Special promotions, like a discount on your first order, may also be available but are typically targeted and time-limited.
Can I use my Amazon Business account for personal use?
No, Amazon Business accounts are strictly for business purchases and should not be used for personal buying, as this violates Amazon’s policies and most organizations’ purchasing rules.
What’s the difference between an Amazon seller account and a business account?
An Amazon Business account is for buying products with business-focused features and discounts, while a seller account is for selling products on Amazon’s marketplace. If you want to sell, you need a seller account; if you want to buy for your business, you need a business account. You can sign up with this paid link.
Thanks to Nick Youngson for our featured image, “Wooden Tile,” which is shared by Alpha Stock Images under Creative Commons License 3 – CC BY-SA 3.0
