Amazon has published its annual U.S. Amazon Small Business Empowerment Report, highlighting the company’s commitment to supporting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) through investments, innovations, and strategic initiatives. In addition, the report showcases how Amazon’s collaboration with independent sellers has led to increased product sales, job creation, and expanded global reach.  

Currently, more than 60% of sales on Amazon’s platform come from independent sellers, predominantly SMBs, conveniently providing consumers with an extensive range of products at competitive prices. This data highlights the enduring partnership between SMBs and Amazon, illustrating the resilience of entrepreneurs who thrive despite challenging economic conditions. 

Remarkable Growth 

According to the Amazon Small Business Empowerment Report, independent sellers on Amazon’s U.S. platform achieved remarkable growth in 2022, selling more than 4.1 billion products, equivalent to approximately 7,800 items every minute. Furthermore, these sellers expanded their customer base beyond the United States by exporting over 260 million products internationally. 

Notably, sellers in rural areas, including parts of Rhode Island, Illinois, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Wyoming, experienced a collective sales growth of more than 40% year over year on Amazon’s platform, demonstrating the opportunities Amazon provides for small businesses nationwide.  

The impact of selling on Amazon’s platform extends to job creation as well, with an estimated 1.5 million jobs generated in the U.S., including positions responsible for managing, operating, and supporting sellers’ efforts, thereby fostering economic growth within local communities. 

The Backbone of the U.S. Economy 

Dharmesh Mehta, Vice President of Worldwide Selling Partner Services at Amazon, emphasized the significance of small businesses, stating, “Small businesses are the heart of our local communities and the backbone of the U.S. economy. Amazon invests billions of dollars annually to provide entrepreneurs with a constantly improving set of valuable tools and resources to help them gain access to capital, quickly launch in our store, build their brands, and rapidly scale and reach more customers. Amazon is committed to the success of small businesses, and we are excited to continue innovating on their behalf and help them grow into thriving success stories.” 

Inspirational Small Businesses 

The most popular categories small business sellers are finding success in include: 

• Health & Personal Care 

• Home 

• Beauty

• Grocery 

• Apparel 

Doug Herrington, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Stores, said, “Ever since small and medium-sized businesses started selling products in our store 23 years ago, I’ve been impressed by their passion, creativity, and commitment to customers. All these years later, having met many sellers in person, I remain blown away by their brand-building, agility, and ability to look around corners and anticipate new product trends. I am proud that hard-working, diverse, and smart entrepreneurs continue to find success growing their businesses in Amazon’s store, and I appreciate the immense value that together, we are able to bring to customers around the world.” 

Amazon Small Business Badge 

To empower customers to support small businesses and artisans, Amazon introduced the Amazon Small Business badge, which allows customers to easily discover and purchase products from these enterprises. In addition, the badge highlights the positive impact customers make by supporting small businesses, including those owned by Black individuals, women, and military families, thus contributing to local communities. 

The Small Business badge is prominently displayed throughout Amazon’s platform and can be found at amazon.com/supportsmall. 

Learn More  

Here at Frooition, helping independent businesses sell more on online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay and their own bespoke online stores is what we do. To find out more about how we can help your business flourish online, schedule a free 15-minute discovery call with one of our eCommerce experts today.