Why Amazon Is a Critical Part of a B2B Omnichannel Strategy

How Amazon Fits into an Omnichannel Strategy

Amazon is no longer just the world’s largest consumer marketplace. It has become a dominant force in B2B purchasing. Amazon Business is projected to grow to $80 billion by the end of 2025, cementing its position as one of the fastest-growing business units of Amazon’s vast digital empire. This scale alone now makes it impossible for manufacturers and B23B brands to ignore.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the buyer demographic is also shifting. Millennials now make up “73 percent of all B2B buyers and 44 percent of final purchasing decision-makers,” according to LinkedIn’s 2025 B2B Buyer Report. These buyers, raised in a digital-first environment, are more comfortable researching and purchasing products online than past generations. For this new generation of buyers, Amazon offers convenience and price differences in a familiar setting they’ve used almost their entire lives.

According to Amazon, 82 percent of business buyers want the same buying experience in both their professional and personal lives, frequently making Amazon the default starting point for product research and discovery, regardless of whether or not they complete the purchase there. What’s more, 3/4ths of B2B buyers say they prefer “rep-free sales experiences,” which essentially translates to more self-serve online buying options. 

This shift has profound implications for B2B manufacturers. Amazon is both a purchasing channel and an influence channel. Buyers may begin their research on Amazon, even if they ultimately purchase through a distributor, dealer, or sales team, sometimes on a negotiated contract. This “Amazon effect” is disrupting traditional B2B channels, forcing resellers and distributors to rethink their value proposition. In many cases, Amazon sets the benchmark for product visibility, pricing transparency, and customer experience, raising expectations across the entire Ecommerce ecosystem.

Rather than viewing Amazon as a standalone outlet, B2B companies need to recognize it as one piece of a larger omnichannel strategy. That is, buyers expect a consistent brand presence whether they’re researching on Amazon, negotiating with a distributor, or purchasing directly from a manufacturer’s site. For manufacturers, integrating Amazon into an omnichannel approach ensures they remain visible and relevant wherever the customer journey begins or ends.

What Is an Omnichannel Strategy?

The concept of omnichannel strategy has been widely embraced in B2C commerce for years. At its core, it recognizes that customers don’t think in terms of “channels,” they think in terms of brand. Whether they’re shopping in a branch or retail store, browsing on Amazon, talking with a sales rep, or clicking through a company’s website, they expect a consistent experience and seamless access to the products they want.

On the B2C side, Nike is a prime example of this philosophy in action. As a premium brand and category leader, Nike doesn’t rely on any single channel to define its success. Instead, it ensures its products are available wherever customers choose to buy: through its own Ecommerce site, on social media channels, on Amazon and other marketplaces, and via a global network of carefully selected retail partners. Nike’s strength lies in its product quality and brand equity, not in the uniqueness of any one channel.

Forward-thinking B2B companies are beginning to adopt a similar mindset. Big Ass Fans, an industrial and commercial fans manufacturer (and former Enceiba client), has taken a deliberate omnichannel approach, selling through retailers, industrial distributors, their own Ecommerce site, Amazon, and professional channels such as construction firms and architects. By investing in how their brand and products are presented across every touchpoint, they’ve ensured consistency and visibility, and they’ve profited as a result.

The Challenge and Opportunity for Traditional B2B Manufacturers

For decades, most industrial and manufacturing companies have thrived on a single-channel mindset. Distribution networks, dealer relationships, and long-standing contracts have been the backbone of B2B commerce. In many cases, the majority of sales still flow through distributors, and the business model has remained largely unchanged for generations. This reliance has bred comfort, and in some cases, complacency.

But with the shift in how B2B buying is done, manufacturers need to evolve their mindset. Manufacturers must move from channel-centric to buyer-centric strategies. That begins with understanding how end users leverage Amazon in their purchasing process. Some categories, such as parts and accessories, may be especially well-suited to Amazon’s marketplace. In other cases, buyers may use Amazon to explore what’s available in a given application or industry segment. Regardless of the product type, Amazon is shaping perceptions and influencing conversations long before a distributor or salesperson enters the picture.

For B2B companies, the opportunity is twofold. First, by actively managing their Amazon presence, they ensure visibility where buyers are already searching. This can open the door to new incremental revenue streams and market segments. Second, Amazon can serve as a first step into Ecommerce for manufacturers who lack robust Ecommerce knowledge and capabilities. Amazon also plays a third role, in that it also provides valuable data, customer insights, and a proving ground for digital commerce strategies that can inform sales and marketing on other channels. 

The truth is that companies that cling to a single-channel approach risk irrelevance. The ones that embrace omnichannel, anchored by a strong Amazon presence, position themselves to meet buyers where they are, and to thrive in a marketplace defined by choice, transparency, and self-service.

The Call to Action for B2B Companies

In today’s digital world, Amazon has become a driving force and a catalyst for change, forcing companies to rethink how they present themselves to buyers on Amazon and elsewhere. Manufacturers who embrace an omnichannel approach, investing in brand storytelling, data integration, and customer experience across channels, will most likely see greater brand loyalty and engagement, all resulting in increased sales. But to get there, they need to take that first step, which in many cases is embracing Amazon’s role in today’s digital ecosystem. 

Are you ready to launch or grow a thriving Amazon program? We’re here to help! Contact Enceiba’s top B2B Amazon strategists to discuss how your business can thrive on the world’s largest marketplace.