Before paying a fast-talking “online entrepreneur” who promises to show you how to make six figures on Amazon in weeks (if you just buy his course!), consider the free advice straight from the horse’s mouth.
Amazon is hosting a free, three-day virtual summit for new and current sellers. The event — called Amazon Accelerate — runs Sept. 1-3, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Pacific time.
“This is an important time for us to come together and learn from each other as we navigate new economic realities,” Jeff Wilke, Amazon’s head of retail and e-commerce, said in an announcement.
The pandemic has upended how most businesses operate and how consumers shop. E-commerce is one industry that has not only weathered the crisis well — but soared. According to Amazon’s recent business impact report, third-party Amazon sellers have seen record sales and now account for 50% of all products sold on Amazon.com.
Here’s how to grab your piece of the pie with Amazon Accelerate.
More on Amazon Accelerate
More than 70 sessions pack the agenda for all three days. Wilke is among several Amazon executives slated to speak. Other speakers include Amazon staff, business owners and e-commerce experts.
The sessions are split into two main categories: events for new sellers and events for current sellers. Each day starts with a shared keynote speech from an Amazon executive, and then the two groups break into concurrent sessions.
For new sellers, topics include:
- The basics of online sales and where Amazon fits into the equation.
- Crafting high-quality product listings that reflect your brand story.
- Pricing and promotions.
- Setting up Fulfillment by Amazon.
Current sellers will learn more about:
- Using sponsored ads to reach more customers.
- Joining Amazon’s Brand Registry program.
- Expanding into other countries.
- Incorporating brand analytics into your sales strategy.
Many more topics and sessions are scheduled. To ensure you’re attending exactly what you want, you can build your own itinerary on the agenda page. Be sure to bring your burning questions for the pros. Many sessions have time earmarked for a live Q&A with the speakers.
According to an event FAQ, recorded versions of each session will be available 24 hours after the session ends and viewable to attendees until Sept. 30. After that, they will be taken down and moved to Amazon’s Seller University. If you can, make it to the live session to take advantage of the Q&A. The recordings will not include that portion.
Keep Up With All of Amazon’s Free Resources
Amazon Accelerate comes as the latest installment in a slew of resources for sellers and small business owners. The company recently launched Amazon Small Business Academy, a hub of free webinars, tools and resources — including the Seller University — for authors, businesses dabbling in e-commerce and small-scale individual sellers.
The company has stated a preference toward in-person and tangible workshops, but the pandemic has put a damper on those plans. In the early months of the pandemic, Amazon’s new college classes were forced online after they were planned to launch in-person at several partnering community colleges.
Accelerate, too, is an example of an inaugural program that’s gone virtual. While it adds to the many things we’re now conducting through video conferencing, there are definite benefits of being able to log in to an event — from wherever you are — and get free advice directly from Amazon execs.
Adam Hardy is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. He covers the gig economy, entrepreneurship and unique ways to make money. Read his latest articles here, or say hi on Twitter @hardyjournalism.
