Amazon is working to support small businesses through a new initiative called the Amazon Small Business Academy that will empower small businesses to grow their customer base, build their brand, and increase sales by using the internet. Through seminars, courses, and webinars, Amazon hopes to empower and grow small businesses, many of which use Amazon to sell their products.
Over the next year, Amazon will host speakers and run seminars around the country to educate owners of small businesses on how to start or expand their company. Amazon also provided a grant to the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship to fund curriculum development courses in community college, enabling students to build their business strategies, as well as improve marketing and inventory management.
Small business owners can also gain digital skills through the Amazon Small Business Academy webinars that will provide tips for successful selling on Amazon. Last year, independent third-party sellers, which were primarily small and medium sized businesses, made up 58 percent of all physical gross merchandise sold in Amazon stores, selling more than 4,000 items per minute on average.
“Small businesses make up 99.9% of U.S. businesses, employ almost 60 million people, and are the backbone of our economy. We’ve heard from many of them that they want help and guidance to take advantage of the power of the internet and digital business, particularly in rural areas,” said Nicholas Denissen, Amazon Vice President of Small Business. “Amazon Small Business Academy is focused on accelerating small business’ digital capabilities, whether they are a brand new company or one that has been in business for generations.”
