Amazon Business Prime is a premium membership program that provides businesses with free fast shipping, discounts, purchasing tools, and other benefits tailored for their needs. For frequent Amazon shoppers, it can provide significant time and cost savings.
In this detailed guide, we‘ll cover everything an ecommerce power shopper, bargain hunter, or small business owner needs to know about Amazon Business Prime, including:
- Overview of Business Prime and how it works
- Pricing tiers for different numbers of users
- An in-depth look at the key benefits
- How it compares against a regular Amazon Prime account
- Tips for signing up for a free trial
- Evaluation of whether Business Prime is worth the investment
- And much more
Let‘s dive in!
What Is Amazon Business Prime Exactly?
Amazon Business Prime is a paid subscription from Amazon that provides businesses with a suite of benefits designed to simplify purchasing and reduce costs.
With Business Prime, companies get perks like:
- Free 2-day shipping on over 100 million eligible items
- Extra discounts and savings beyond Amazon‘s everyday low prices
- Tools to manage multiple business users and track spending
- Access to programs like tax exemptions and business-only pricing
- Extended payment terms – up to 60 days to pay for orders
In essence, it acts like an upgraded version of an Amazon Business account tailored specifically for business needs.
For organizations that make frequent purchases on Amazon, Business Prime can maximize convenience and savings. Let‘s explore the details.
Amazon Business Prime Membership Tiers and Pricing
One of the first things to understand about Amazon Business Prime is that pricing varies based on the number of users you need. More user accounts equals higher subscription fees.
Here is a breakdown of the membership tiers and associated annual costs:
| Plan | # of Users | Price Per Year |
|---|---|---|
| Business Prime Duo | 1 | $69 |
| Business Prime | Up to 3 users | $179 |
| Business Prime | Up to 10 users | $499 |
| Business Prime | Up to 100 users | $1,299 |
| Business Prime | Unlimited users | $10,999 |
As you can see, the fees range from $69 per year for a single-user "Business Prime Duo" plan up to $10,999/year for unlimited users.
However, Amazon does offer a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate if the benefits merit the price tag before subscribing.
Now let‘s explore exactly what kinds of perks you get with Business Prime to power up your company‘s Amazon shopping.
Key Benefits of Amazon Business Prime for Savvy Shoppers
Business Prime offers a suite of benefits tailored specifically to business and organizational needs. Here are some of the most valuable features:
Free Two-Day Shipping on Over 100 Million Items
One of the biggest Prime benefits is free two-day shipping on over 100 million products. This allows companies to get the items they need quickly without paying exorbitant shipping fees.
According to Amazon, Business Prime members get free delivery on more items than Amazon‘s free shipping threshold offers. This means fewer surprise charges at checkout.
The chart below illustrates the difference in available free shipping selection with and without Prime:
For any ecommerce power shopper, free fast shipping opens up a world of convenience and flexibility. You can order just one or two essential items without worrying about delivery costs breaking the bank.
Over 12 months, the savings on shipping fees alone often outweigh the Prime membership cost for avid Amazon purchasers.
Extra Discounts and Savings
In addition to free shipping, Business Prime provides members access to special discounts beyond Amazon‘s everyday low prices.
These include:
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Progressive quantity discounts – The more units you purchase of one item over 12 months, the deeper discounts you unlock, even if buying a few at a time.
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Business-only pricing – Exclusive low pricing on select items only for Prime members.
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eCoupons – Digitally clipped coupons applied automatically at checkout for extra savings.
For bargain hunters, these benefits can lead to serious savings. Discounts often range from 5-15% off and occasionally more on business purchases.
The more frequently you order essentials for your company, the faster these savings offset the Prime membership fee. It‘s like unlocking bonuses in a video game!
Simplified Ordering and Expenditure Tracking
Another advantage of Business Prime is simplified ordering management.
With Prime, you can add multiple employees to your account so purchasing can be distributed across your team. However, you maintain centralized control and visibility.
Business Prime makes it easy to:
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Approve/deny purchases – Set rules to streamline ordering and prevent unauthorized buys.
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Review consolidated cart – Easily track and manage orders from the whole company.
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Access spending reports – Get clear insight into your organization‘s Amazon purchases.
For managers and number crunchers, these features help rein in costs and streamline workflows. No more chasing down receipts or praying employees don‘t go rogue!
Business-Only Programs and Perks
In addition, Amazon Business Prime provides access to specialized programs designed for organizations:
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Amazon Credit Line – Gives flexibility to finance larger purchases over time.
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Tax Exemption Program – Avoid paying sales tax on eligible business purchases.
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Amazon WorkDocs – Secure cloud drive for business documents.
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Business Prime credit card – Earn 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases.
These services provide convenience and savings often unavailable to regular Prime members.
As one example, the tax exemption program can save significant amounts depending on your state sales tax rate. For a company spending $100,000 on Amazon Business Prime purchases per year, that could mean $5,000+ in tax savings in a state with a 5% rate.
Extended Payment Terms
Finally, Business Prime members can qualify for extended payment terms on their orders.
Depending on the age/status of your account, you may get:
- 15-30 days to pay for purchases after delivery
- 60+ days terms for established accounts in good standing
This allows your business to better manage cash flow before paying for new orders. As any wise budgeter knows, holding on to your money longer is a definite perk!
As you can see, the combination of free fast shipping, extra discounts, simplified purchasing, and unique business programs provides compelling value. But how does it compare to a regular Prime account?
Business Prime vs. Regular Prime – What‘s the Difference?
If you already have an Amazon Prime membership, you may be wondering how Business Prime compares and what the differences are.
While there is some overlap in benefits, there are also key variations:
Amazon Business Prime
- Multi-user accounts
- Volume discounts
- Business-only pricing
- Extended 60+ day payment terms
- Tax exemption program
- No media benefits
Regular Amazon Prime
- Single user only
- No extra business discounts
- 30 day max payment terms
- Includes Prime Video, Music, etc.
- No tax exemptions
As you can see, Business Prime trades away certain entertainment features offered by regular Prime, such as video streaming.
But it gains a number of specialized benefits tailored for business needs like tax savings, 60+ day payment terms, and volume discounts.
For power shoppers, the extra discounts and purchasing tools make Business Prime the superior choice if you don‘t need personal entertainment perks.
However, you can also combine both Prime types using the "Business Prime Duo" plan, gaining the benefits of each.
Signing Up for an Amazon Business Prime Free Trial
Want to give Business Prime a test run? Signing up for a free trial is easy.
Here are the basic steps:
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Visit the Amazon Business Prime signup page.
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Enter your company information to create or link an Amazon Business account.
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Add users you want to provide purchasing access to.
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Input a payment method to start your 30-day free trial.
And that‘s it! You can immediately start using your Business Prime benefits for a month before the membership fee kicks in.
Be sure to make note of the trial end date on your calendar. You‘ll want to decide if the benefits merit keeping the paid membership before that period ends.
During the trial, pay attention to any shipping or purchase costs saved, discounts earned, and time/effort reduced thanks to Prime tools. This will give you a sense of the potential long-term value you can expect.
Is Amazon Business Prime Worth the Cost?
For avid Amazon shoppers, Business Prime can provide tremendous value by offsetting costs in key areas:
Shipping Fees – Free two-day shipping on 100+ million items avoids delivery charges that can rack up.
Product Discounts – Progressively increasing discounts drive down purchase costs over time.
Sales Taxes – Tax exemptions in many states save significantly on business purchases.
Management Time – Tools like multi-user accounts and spending reports save administrative effort.
However, the actual value depends on your company‘s specific shopping profile and needs.
Here are some tips on assessing if it‘s worth the investment:
- Review past order history and volumes to project shipping/tax savings
- Calculate the membership fee versus current shipping and tax costs
- Identify types of items you purchase and potential discount opportunities
- Compare benefits versus alternatives like Walmart+ for Businesses
- Leverage the 30-day trial to test savings/benefits before paying
For most frequent Amazon Business shoppers, the numbers add up in favor of Prime. But be sure to evaluate your own usage to make the best decision.
A few common scenarios where Business Prime delivers value:
Example 1: Small Office Supplies Company
A 5-person company purchases ~$2,000 in office supplies each month from Amazon – items like paper, pens, tech accessories, coffee, snacks, etc.
With Business Prime they save ~$150 per month:
- $100 in free 2-day shipping costs
- $30 in product quantity discounts
- $20 in tax exemptions
This covers the $179 annual membership fee in just the first month.
Example 2: Online Retailer Fulfilling Orders
An ecommerce seller fulfills ~50 customer orders per month using Amazon Prime shipping.
With Business Prime, they save ~$600 per month:
- $300 on faster Prime vs. standard shipping
- $200 in discounted packaging and boxes
- $100 on 2-day shipping for business supplies
Over 12 months, that‘s $7,200 in savings – far outweighing the Prime membership fee.
As these examples illustrate, for regular Amazon purchasers, a Business Prime subscription often pays for itself quickly in shipping savings, discounts, taxes avoided, and more.
Bottom Line – Is Amazon Business Prime Worth It for Your Company?
For any sellers, entrepreneurs, managers, or shopping addicts purchasing supplies and materials regularly via Amazon, Business Prime is likely a smart investment.
The free fast shipping alone on millions of Prime-eligible essentials can offset much if not all of the membership cost. Extra discounts, simplified business purchasing, and unique programs like tax exemptions then add further value.
However, be sure to thoroughly analyze your expected shipping volumes, taxes paid, purchase frequency, number of users, and other factors. This will give you the clearest picture of potential savings versus fees.
Leverage the 30-day free trial to experience the benefits first-hand. But for most frequent Amazon shoppers, the boost in convenience and reductions in overhead costs make Business Prime well worth the price.
Supercharge your company‘s Amazon shopping and see why over a million organizations have already joined Business Prime!
