How Amazon is supporting small businesses on Prime Day
RAHWAY, New Jersey (WABC) -- Next Monday and Tuesday is the mega shopping event known as Amazon Prime Days - when Prime members - 200 million of them - get access to exclusive discounts.
This year, Amazon is ramping up its support of small businesses, or third-party sellers which market through the website.
A local store in New Jersey has had its business completely changed by the retail giant.
Dried sticks of aromatic wood have traveled a long way to wind up in Rahway - the journey begins in Peru. The Palo Santo gets packaged to ship around the world by Luna Sandara - a family-run small business, busy this week fulfilling orders for Amazon.
Demand for the sustainable, handcrafted products Sandra Manay sourced directly from artisans in the Andes, surged after Amazon featured their story for its shop small campaign, and a focus on women or BIPOC-Black Indigenous people of color which sell their products through the site.
"It was the only way to reach all of these customers. It was the only way for people to find us, and with Amazon, they say 'oh I found through Amazon,'" said Sandra Manay.
Amazon says the sellers have full control of their own prices both on and off Amazon, and that the company helps them maximize sales.
Amazon takes 40% of each product purchased -- So $4 for the $10 incense, yet Manay says they stillturn a profit because of the retailers global reach and two-day shipping network.
"We sell Germany, France, Italy, Hong Kong, Tokyo - they shop on Amazon, and they ship it there," she adds.
The success allows her to support more artisans. Many is now sourcing products handmade in the Amazon for Amazon.
She says she doesn't think she would have survived if she hadn't gone on Amazon.
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