Field Report: Amazon Accelerate 2025

Field Report: Amazon Accelerate 2025

We recently attended Amazon Accelerate 2025 in Seattle, and if there’s one word to sum up the experience, it’s momentum. Once again, Amazon’s flagship seller conference brought together over 10,000 sellers, industry experts, and Amazon insiders for a week packed with announcements, networking, and hands-on learning. The energy was electric from the moment we arrived. Amazon clearly pulled out all the stops to make this year’s event bigger, bolder, and more seller-focused than ever.

As longtime attendees, we’ve watched this conference evolve, but 2025 marked a noticeable shift: Amazon is doubling down on its commitment to empower sellers of all sizes. The crowd was an impressive mix of scrappy startups, seasoned entrepreneurs, and, notably, a growing wave of large B2B companies, many of them trying to fine-tune and optimize their 3P selling approach or even explore launching on Amazon for the first time. In fact, this was the strongest showing yet from enterprise-level sellers, signaling a maturing ecosystem that’s attracting serious scale.

This shift was accentuated when Amazon CEO Andy Jassy took the stage for a fire-side chat. This is the first time we’ve heard Jassy speak, and he gave some important insights into the development of Amazon and its direction in the future. The quote that struck us most was this:  

Speed is a leadership decision. If it is a priority to you and your leadership team, you can make it happen.

Truly something to consider when working to evolve your business towards a stronger digital presence in general, but also an Amazon program specifically. Time waits for no one.  

One of the highlights of our week was hosting an executive dinner at the Columbia Tower Club, where we brought together a select group of leaders from B2B manufacturers and Amazon Business representatives for an intimate evening of conversation and connection. We were joined by industry leaders, including Kyle Barnes of Simpson Strong-Tie, Adam Kupec of Sloan Valve Company, Mark Francazio of M.D. Building Products, Rob Jensen of STIHL, Heather Bean of Guardair, Steve Francis of Diversitech, and Alex Blaby of MG Chemicals. Amazon Business’s Nick Harrell and Rob Cowger also joined, and the evening underscored the growing momentum behind B2B commerce on Amazon and the value of building bridges between sellers and platform stakeholders.

Whether you were there to catch the latest feature rollouts, swap stories with fellow sellers, or simply soak up the atmosphere, Accelerate 2025 delivered. Let’s take a look at what stood out most to us.

AI, AI, and More AI

If there was one unmistakable theme at Amazon Accelerate 2025, it was that the company is infusing artificial intelligence into all aspects of both the seller and buyer experience. From the opening keynotes to breakout sessions and executive panels, speakers touched on AI in nearly every announcement, demo, and strategic initiative. Amazon made it clear: AI is the backbone of their next chapter in seller enablement.

One of the most jaw-dropping showcases was Amazon’s new content creation capabilities. Their Content Studio now enables sellers to produce broadcast-quality video assets directly within the platform. The implications are huge. A small seller can now create stunning product videos that rival big-brand campaigns, leveling the playing field in a way that was previously unimaginable. It’s a democratization of creative power, and it signals a major shift in how sellers can present their products to customers.

But the AI push goes far beyond content. Amazon executives across multiple business units shared how machine learning is being embedded into core operations—from smarter inventory forecasting to streamlined returns processing. These strategic moves are designed to increase efficiency, of course, but also to reduce friction for sellers and improve the customer experience. 

And here’s where things get really interesting: AI is starting to blur the lines between scale and agility. If a mid-sized distributor can tap into Amazon’s AI tools and other cloud-based resources, they suddenly gain capabilities that can rival—or even surpass—those of industry giants like Grainger. 

The question then becomes: what does traditional scale really offer in a world where technology levels the field? As Amazon and others continue to democratize these tools, the advantage may shift toward speed, adaptability, and smart partnerships over sheer size.

Fulfillment Is Now a Strategic Pillar

Another major theme that emerged loud and clear at Accelerate 2025 was fulfillment, specifically Amazon’s transformation of its supply chain services into a strategic business pillar. Rebranded as “Supply Chain Solutions,” this initiative is now a priority for top-level executives alongside other core business units. In fact, the way Amazon leadership spoke about it, fulfillment is being positioned as the next AWS, where they have built an internal service and then monetized it by selling it to outside users.

The implications are profound. Sellers no longer need to build their own distribution networks or rely solely on legacy carriers like FedEx or UPS. Amazon has essentially recreated the FedEx model in just eight years, and they’re investing heavily to expand delivery capabilities, including in rural areas. This deep infrastructure is now available to anyone plugged into Amazon’s ecosystem, for a fee, of course.

Data Is the New Differentiator

One of the more intriguing moments at Accelerate 2025 came during the analytics session, where Amazon’s head of analytics hinted, possibly unintentionally, at what could be the next big unlock for sellers: commercialized analytics. While the focus was officially on Amazon’s internal use of AI-driven reporting and data modeling, there was a subtle suggestion that these powerful tools might soon be available to sellers for use on other channels as well. 

It’s easy to see the possibilities. Amazon has the richest troves of Ecommerce data in the world. Combined with their deep investments in AI and cloud infrastructure, Amazon could build a platform that could rival, or even surpass, traditional analytics giants like Google Analytics. For sellers, this means the possibility of gaining access to predictive insights, customer behavior modeling, and performance diagnostics that were once reserved for enterprise-scale operations.

And here’s the broader implication: legacy players who’ve spent years building proprietary analytics stacks may find themselves outpaced by sellers who simply plug into Amazon’s ecosystem. If answer engines, bots, and scale partners like Amazon start offering turnkey intelligence, the old assumptions about competitive advantage may start to crumble. The future belongs to those who can adapt fast, and Amazon seems poised to hand sellers the keys to that future.

1P vs. 3P Is Now a Civil War

One of the more emotionally charged undercurrents at Accelerate 2025 was the ongoing and increasingly intense debate between first-party (1P) and third-party (3P) selling models. To call it a “civil war” might sound dramatic, but after hearing from Amazon executives and speaking with attendees, it’s clear that this divide runs deep. This goes well beyond being a preferred business model; we see it as a philosophical clash that’s been simmering for 25 years.

When Amazon introduced 3P marketplace selling back in 2000, it sparked internal upheaval. Amazon’s internal 1P Vendor Central teams feared this move would cannibalize their business and undermine the company’s supplier relationships, as well as damage the buying experience on Amazon. Fast forward to today, and that tension hasn’t gone away. Many on the 1P side still view 3P as disruptive, while 3P advocates argue that the traditional retail model is outdated and lead to gaps in available selection on Amazon. This is now a persistent internal rivalry at Amazon that appears to spill over into how sellers experience the platform.

Yet Amazon’s stance is unwavering: customers’ needs come first. If buyers want more choice, better pricing, and faster delivery, regardless of whether it’s sold by Amazon or a third-party seller, then that’s what Amazon will prioritize. This customer-first orientation has led to internal competition, even friction, but it’s also driven innovation and growth. Amazon is willing to disrupt itself if it means delivering more value to the end user.

For B2B companies, this dynamic presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Those using legacy models for selling can find some aspects easy (such selling and shipping in bulk), while some aspects may be challenging (such as profitability and pricing control). For those willing to embrace the 3P model, the potential can be significant, but this selling method does usually require more effort. We’ve seen firsthand how companies that lean into marketplace selling, which when done right, can unlock powerful new growth engines.

The takeaway? This is a strategic identity shift for both Amazon and B2B manufacturers and distributors. In the years ahead, the companies that thrive will be the ones willing to rethink and embrace the ecosystem.

Overall, Amazon Accelerate 2025 did not disappoint and has energized us for the future of the business. We’re thrilled to be working with forward-thinking manufacturers to help them transform their own business for the next generation.