Amazon to expand office supplies business after pandemic sales surge in Europe

In Europe, the business first launched in Germany in 2016, followed by Britain in 2018 and Italy, Spain and France in 2018.
Amazon’s business clients in the region include Centrica, Siemens Gamesa and ABB, the company said, and it offers IT and healthcare equipment and school products.

Amazon declined to say which countries it would target next.

It’s spending time for European companies to buy things like office chairs, desks, paper and printer ink in bulk, Gagnon said, with the goal of winning contracts to supply them.

The business offers potentially higher margins than Amazon’s core consumer business, as it’s cheaper to make small bulk deliveries per unit than to get millions of small parcels on people’s doormats.

“Because businesses buy in large quantities, a full economy is more convenient,” Gagnon said, adding that Amazon offers companies discounts for bulk orders.

When in 2020 and 2021 the COVID-19 lockdowns suddenly forced employees to work from home, companies and individuals had to invest in furniture and equipment for their work spaces in home.

By Priyanka Bhowmick