Amazon's software store lets companies list once, sell from many branches

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has changed how companies sell software in its online store, AWS Marketplace. A seller with branches in several countries can now create one product listing and let each local branch sell it. Before, the announcement says, sellers had to recreate and maintain duplicate listings in every account.

What changed

The seller's main account owns the listing. From there, the seller chooses which products each subsidiary can sell and which buyer countries it can send private offers to. Private offers are deals a seller extends directly to a buyer.

Each subsidiary works under its own local tax identity. It picks the currencies it supports and sets its own payout preferences and bank account.

• The main account sees offers, agreements and renewals from all connected branches in one report.
• A seller can revoke a branch's permission or connection at any time.
• Revoking stops new offers right away. Offers and agreements already sent to buyers stay as they are.
• The feature costs nothing extra and works wherever AWS Marketplace is available.

What is not known

The announcement names no partner companies and gives no examples of how buyers will see the change. It does not say how many sellers will use it. For buyers, the likely effect is a quote from a local branch with local currency and tax handling, but that depends on each seller's choices.