Supercharge your business growth with Amazon launchpad

Jeniffer Alexander

September 6, 2023 6 mins to read

Are you an entrepreneur looking to make a splash on Amazon Launchpad?

With new products emerging on Amazon daily, sellers find it hard to maximize their chances of success in the marketplace.

Amazon Launchpad is designed to help small businesses to showcase their products to customers and increase their brand awareness. This comprehensive guide will provide you with the necessary insights to maximize the benefits of Amazon Launchpad and ensure your product stands out from the crowd.

Quick Guide

What is Amazon Launchpad, and how is it useful?
What is the cost of Amazon Launchpad?
Who can participate in the Amazon Launchpad program?
What are the benefits of the Amazon Launchpad program
What are the criteria to enroll in Amazon Launchpad
What’s the difference between Amazon Launchpad and Accelerator
Is Amazon Launchpad worth it?
Conclusion

What is Amazon Launchpad, and how is it useful?

Amazon Launchpad is a platform launched by Amazon in 2015 to introduce innovative, cutting-edge products by promoting talented startups. It is a unique platform that allows startups to showcase their products and provide customers with access to a variety of new and innovative products. Startups that sign up for the Launchpad program can benefit from increased attention and sales, while Amazon can introduce quality products to its customers and earn more seller commissions.

It is a beneficial program for both Amazon and startups and is a great way for new companies to get their products to reach the public.

What is the cost of Amazon Launchpad?

This program is offered to Amazon sellers to help them launch and grow their businesses. A 5% premium expense is applied to each sale, in addition to other costs like referral fees, fulfillment fees, and the cost of the seller’s plan (Individual or Professional). Apart from that, there is no upfront fee for using the Launchpad.

Who can participate in the Amazon Launchpad program?

The Amazon Launchpad program welcomes entrepreneurs and brand owners with unique and innovative products. Additionally, Climate Pledge Friendly certified products and certified Black-Owned businesses are eligible to apply. To qualify, new or existing sellers should ensure their products are qualified to sell on Amazon for less than four years. Along with that, they should also be enrolled in Amazon Brand Registry for less than four years.

The sellers should have generated less than $10 million in gross merchandise sales in Amazon’s online store annually. Amazon will evaluate applications and respond within 7-10 business days.

What are the benefits of the Amazon Launchpad program?

These are the benefits Amazon Launchpad provides your brand with

Discoverability

It provides increased visibility for your listings through banner ads, email campaigns, and storefront placements. With these promotional efforts, sellers can better reach their target audience. Additionally, Amazon Launchpad members get one free 7-day or Lightning Deal each week, which can help to increase sales. Finally, sellers can also be featured on the front page of the Amazon Launchpad category page, giving their products even more exposure.

Premium A+ content

You can access premium A+ content that can enhance the brand image, differentiate the products, and add comparison tables and carousels to the product pages. Furthermore, you can access Amazon Imaging Services, which helps you add high-quality product photography to the listings.

Unique tools and support

The program offers unique tools and support to Amazon sellers. This includes a personalized onboarding experience with insights other sellers don’t have access to and guidance on improving detail pages and optimizing product listings and accounts. Additionally, sellers can take advantage of quick-start guides, Benefit Support, AWS credits, and webinars. These benefits help Amazon sellers optimize their business and increase sales.

Global expansion

The Amazon Launchpad program provides Amazon sellers with the opportunity to expand their business globally. Through the program, sellers can access nine other Launchpad locales and receive benefits and launch support tailored to each region. This includes free translation services, making it easier for EU sellers to market and sell their products in neighboring countries. Additionally, Amazon Launchpad offers access to consumer insights and marketing support, allowing sellers to identify potential buyers and effectively target them with the right message.

What are the criteria for enrolling in Amazon Launchpad?

The criteria for enrolling in Amazon Launchpad are as follows:

Products must have at least a 3.5-star rating
Products must have at least 5 reviews
Sellers must be enrolled in Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) with Prime Badging.

These criteria ensure that customers get the best possible experience when browsing Amazon Launchpad products.

What’s the difference between Amazon Launchpad and Accelerator?

Amazon Launchpad provides specialized placement for your products in the leading marketplace. You can efficiently manage the supply chain and your brand, and get access to promotional and marketing support.

On the other hand, Amazon Accelerator is a program for manufacturers (mainly from China) who want to enter the marketplace at scale. With Accelerator, Amazon takes control of the brand, and the products become private labels sold as Amazon’s products, with shared ownership between Amazon and the manufacturer.

Sellers who want to keep control of their business usually opt for Launchpad, while those who want to focus on production often choose Accelerator.

Here is a table format

	Amazon Launchpad	Amazon Accelerator
Intended for	Startups that have innovative and highly marketable products	Manufacturers and private label brands that are prepared to sell exclusively on Amazon.
Additional product exposure	With its own dedicated marketplace within Amazon	No dedicated page, Amazon may still feature them prominently in the Our Brands section.
Customer reviews	Access to Amazon Vine	Access to Amazon Vine
Eligibility	* Be in operation for less than 4 years * Sold less than 5M over past 12 months * Average 3.5 stars * At least 5 reviews * Enrolled in FBA with Prime Badging	* Generate at least $1M in sales * Must adopt FBA (can use merchant-fulfilled models when inventory runs out) * Commit a minimum of 5% of revenue to paid advertising on Amazon
Cost to sellers	5% premium added to referral fees (can be reduced to 3% if you exceed $1M in sales in your first 12 months)	7% premium on the Referral Fees described on the Selling on Amazon Fee Schedule
Control	You retain brand control.	Amazon practically takes over the supply chain and operation.
Brand gating	Yes, Amazon will prevent unauthorized sellers from selling the same products	No similar benefit under Accelerator

Is Amazon Launchpad worth it?

If you want to jumpstart your product sales, you should consider choosing Amazon Launchpad.

Amazon Launchpad provides exclusive product placement opportunities and a dedicated support system. However, if you want to think long-term, you should consider the 5% premium, 1-year lock-in contract, and longer payment cycles.

While it can be a beneficial program, some sellers have their share of concerns with the support system. Ultimately, whether the program is worth it depends on each brand’s goals and how the program fits its needs.

Conclusion

Mastering Amazon Launchpad is an essential skill if you want to make the most of the platform and take advantage of its powerful tools. With the right strategy and the right resources, you can maximize your success on Amazon Launchpad and get ahead of the competition.

What do you think about the Amazon Launchpad program? Let us know in the comments below!

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Post Written by:

Jeniffer Alexander Jeniffer Alexander is a content writer at SellerApp. She writes about eCommerce and Amazon for sellers to help them sell their products. She has a creative spirit and enjoys reading and writing short stories in her free time.