Amazon is targeting the multibillion-pound UK business-to-business market by launching a new service that sells office supplies, industrial tools and laboratory kits to companies, The Guardian reports.
The service, called Amazon Business, is the latest example of the US company’s dramatic expansion beyond its traditional consumer retail business. Amazon already offers cloud computing services to businesses through Amazon Web Services.
The UK online market for business-to-business sales was valued at £96.5bn for 2015 by the Office for National Statistics.
Amazon Business will sell more than 100m products and is targeted at small, medium, and large firms. It includes features that are tailored for the business community including free one-day delivery on orders over £30, VAT-exclusive pricing and in-depth analytics that allow purchasing managers to track how much they are spending on their account.
The service has already been launched in the US, where it is generating more than $1bn (£800m) in annual sales and works with more than 400,000 businesses.
The products the service will sell range from laptops to thermal imaging cameras and cleaning products.
Bill Burkland, head of Amazon Business UK, said: “Whether you are a sole trader, a buyer in a mid-size company or a chief procurement officer in a large multinational organisation, Amazon Business has the products and capabilities to serve your needs.
“Amazon Business combines more than 100m business products with a new set of unique business features – from reporting and analytics to spending limits and purchasing workflow approvals.”
