Amazon recently unveiled a new marketplace, referred to as the “red carpet for startups.” With this, new businesses can expand their products across the globe through custom pages and access to Amazon’s fulfillment network.
Launchpad, from Amazon, is striving to support startup brands with videos, extra photos, product descriptions and a Q&A section to boot, unlike their routine product-focused pages.
The eCommerce giant has many perks for retailers, like winning the Amazon Buy Box, customer service efforts and free shipping. So, of course people will want to get on-board to a simpler way to manage Amazon inventory.
Amazon Launchpad may be the choice for you, but be sure to keep the dividing line in mind before jumping into this new marketplace.
Is it Too Good to Be True?
For some startups, it might not be. Amazon has planned to promote a motto that exudes a “You give it to us, and we’ll take care of the rest” approach. The marketplace simply wants startups to sell wholesale price products to them, while they collect the difference. However, is it possible that some brands might be jeopardizing their chance to really stand out from the rest?
With Amazon Launchpad, they seem to be advertising a win-win situation. When it comes to Amazon inventory management, fulfillment and customer service, new FBA service offer benefits and even a global outreach. By mainstreaming customers, this could give startups the chance to reach out to clientele they never dreamed possible. Revolutionary? Let’s take a closer look.
Never Judge a Book by its Cover
While this new frontier may be a great chance for startups to scale up their businesses, be aware of some unfavorable possibilities that could come up in the future.
Funding is one issue that comes up with Launchpad. Amazon requires startups to account for the manufacturing of all products, and that is why the eCommerce marketplace can get a little picky. Prospective startups would need to pitch what Amazon deems as successful ideas before they can take part.
Relying on Amazon to manage your inventory could have its downsides. When a startup joins Amazon Launchpad, they will be counting on the eCommerce platform for all sales and distribution methods, so they can help them develop their products. This can cause some room for concern, as retailers starting out might lose their incentive to look into selling on many other note-worthy platforms out there, such as Bigcommerce, Mozu, Magento and eBay to name a few.
While aspects like selling restrictions might come up, Amazon Launchpad could be beneficial for your business efforts, especially if you are looking to promote a global reach.
If you sell on multiple sales channels and plan to expand to even more, a cloud based order management system can help you manage amazon inventory, as well any other eCommerce store you come across. The best part is, it’s affordable and the in-depth, real-time functionality causes little to no room for error.
Ready to see how this works? Check out the quick video below to learn how Freestyle can help fulfill your orders faster, increase your sales and more.
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