Small Businesses Sold More Than 2 Billion Items On Amazon In First Half Of 2017

Amazon announced that small businesses (SMBs) and entrepreneurs sold more than two billion items to shoppers on the site — resulting in a record-breaking first half of 2017.

According to a press release announcing the news, Amazon offers SMBs the opportunity to reach shoppers in more than 180 countries around the world and more than 300 million active customers. The eCommerce giant offers 11 marketplaces around the world, with SMBs and entrepreneurs selling on Amazon from every state in the U.S. and from more than 130 different countries around the world.

In addition, small businesses can utilize the eCommerce giant’s world-class fulfillment and customer service expertise through Fulfillment by Amazon.

“We started working with small businesses to sell online back in 2000 and have helped hundreds of thousands achieve success. Amazon Marketplace has grown so significantly that sales by small businesses now account for over half of the unit sales on Amazon sites around the world, and 2017 is off to a record start, with over two billion units sold,” said Peter Faricy, vice president for Amazon Marketplace. “We love hearing the stories from these small business owners who are able to quit their day jobs to sell on Amazon full-time, hire more employees to grow their business and, in many cases, start other businesses — it’s very energizing for Amazonians to know that the technology we are building is helping so many people pursue their dreams.”

The small business news comes after Amazon Business announced last week that it now boasts more than one million business customers since launching the service in April of 2015. Amazon Business serves businesses of all sizes and across multiple industries and offers business-only pricing on millions of products and access to more than 85,000 business sellers.

“Being able to sell on Amazon has been paramount in driving massive amounts of sales and customer visibility, allowing us to build brand awareness where customers shop,” said Kelly Fedio, founder of One Savvy Life, based in Redondo Beach, Calif. “Since we started in 2014, we have successfully introduced several products to customers on Amazon, including our original best-selling infusion water bottle. Amazon has played an instrumental role in helping us launch our small business and grow into an enduring brand.”