It would have been very surprising if the most populated country in the world (China) and the preceding country (India) are both restricted from being a part of the Amazon Business.
Thankfully, Amazon also identifies the risk involved in this, and thus, India was given a pass mark to become an Amazon Business partner.
Amazon Business is simply a supplement of the Amazon Individual/Personal account and it is commonly referred to as Amazon B2B in India.
Opening a Business account gives you access to hundreds of thousands of products that are relevant to your interest or needs on the platform.
It also contains some advanced tools which will help you reshape your business performance on the internet as well as give you a modern way of managing your business. It does exactly what it is called, that is, “it amazons your business and even personal needs”.
Yet, a lot of Indians are still puzzled on how to go about opening an Amazon Business account in the country as they also want to enjoy the benefits it presents to them and take their business to another dimension.
You still do not know about these benefits, right? Let’s quickly go over some of them to let you know exactly why Amazon Business is the next big step you need to take:
- Unbeatable bulk discounts and business pricing offers
- Fast, free, and consolidated delivery offers (even better with the Amazon Business Prime)
- Easy returns and replacement policy
- Business analytics to give you an insight on how well you are performing
- Multi-users access without sharing account password with you still in control
- Multiple payment methods during checkout
- Get quotations from divergent sellers to help you pick only the best offers
- Sublime Customer support available at anytime you have experience a problem
As you can see from the above that there are a lot of benefits involved in running an Amazon Business account in India and without wasting more valuable time; let’s take a look at the requirements to open an Amazon Business account in India:
- Business name
- A valid business e-mail
- A valid business phone number
- Business location (address of your company)
- Documents showing business name: This could be any of the following documents:
- Bank Cheque with the printed business name or with a stamp that shows the business name.
- Business Card – Name of the business should be present on the card.
- Employment letter from your company in case you are not the owner of the business.
- Pay-slip with the name of the company boldly written on it.
- Business Pan
- Certificate of incorporation of business
- Partnership deed for partnership companies
- GSTIN (Goods and Services Tax Identification Number)
14..GST certificate of business (compulsory)
Now that you have gotten the required information, let’s get started:
Step 1: The first thing you should do is to visit the Amazon Business membership page using either the general business.amazon.com or the dedicated Indian Amazon Business page here.
Step 2: On the membership page, click on “Register now”
Step3: Then you will prompt to input your e-mail to proceed; this could be done in two ways:
1) By upgrading your existing Amazon Personal account to a Business account: All you need to do here is input the e-mail linked to your existing Amazon account and it will be upgraded to a Business account.
This method is the most recommended as it is way faster and also helps you avoid unnecessary verification processes. All your previous activities on the account would also be transferred during the transition.
However, if you wish to operate a separate account for your Amazon Business then you can move on to step 2.
2) Input your work e-mail: It is recommended to make use of a work e-mail to promote professionalism and trust from your potential customers. The information in your personal account will not be affected if you go with this.
Step 4: Select a password to secure your account: Afterwards, a verification code will be sent to your e-mail, click on it to verify your e-mail and begin the second phase of the registration.
The second phase of the registration is to confirm your business identity and authenticity:
Input your full name as shown on your Government IDs. Enter the business phone number you have obtained. State your business type. Select the industry your business falls
Choose a business license type: This could be any of the documents stated in the requirement section. The most important thing is the document must clearly show your business name and your name when it is being checked out by Amazon during verification.
It is advisable you make use of your GSTIN (Goods and Services Tax Identification Number) or Business PAN as it is faster to validate by Amazon.
Provide information about the selected Business License: This is the number written on the document and then click “validate”.
Enter your business type as stated on your GST certificate. Enter the address of your company as it is written on the GST certificate (be careful not to make mistakes).
Input an alternative address if it is available. Go over the information you have submitted to check for any errors.
If you are certain there are no typographical errors, you can then submit your details to Amazon and wait for the company to go through your details and contact you within 3 days.
Once you are fully verified, you can now start to enjoy the benefits of operating an Amazon Business account.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can create an Amazon Business account?
Any business or organization can create an Amazon Business account, regardless of size or industry. This includes sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, government agencies, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations.
2. Can I create an Amazon business account from my personal account?
Yes, you can create an Amazon Business account from your personal account. However, Amazon recommends creating a separate account for your business to keep your personal and business purchases separate.
3. What are the requirements to open an Amazon business account?
To open an Amazon Business account, you will need to provide the following information:
- Your business name and legal address
- Your business tax identification number (TIN)
- Your business contact information
- Your billing information
4. What are the benefits of an Amazon business account?
There are many benefits to having an Amazon Business account, including:
- Access to exclusive business pricing and discounts: Businesses can save up to 28% on millions of products with GST input credit and avail discounts on multi-unit purchases.
- Streamlined purchasing and payment options: Businesses can create purchasing groups, share payment methods, and track spending with ease.
- Enhanced control and visibility: Businesses can set spending limits, manage employee access, and track purchases across multiple locations.
- Advanced analytics and reporting: Businesses can gain insights into their spending patterns and identify areas for cost savings.
5. Do you have to pay to have an Amazon business account?
No, it is free to create an Amazon Business account. However, some businesses may choose to upgrade to an Amazon Business Prime membership to access additional benefits, such as:
- Unlimited free shipping on eligible orders
- Extended payment terms
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- Guided buying tools
Bottom line
Definitely, if you are in India, shop online there, and probably own an Amazon account without trying to utilize the edges of Amazon Business to your advantage then you are missing out on a lot of things.
It is understandable you probably have not heard of it or are oblivious of the benefits before coming across this article but now, you do not have any excuse to continue without a B2B account on Amazon as we have simplified the process for virtually everybody.
Meet up with the criteria and meet us on the inside as we hope to see you there.
Idris Yau is an entrepreneur and a seasoned finance and marketing content writer. He brings you unbiased reviews about products and answers to your finance questions.