Unlocking Amazon Business — The $50M MRO Success Story

Client Background

Industry: Industrial Components (Fasteners, Bearings, Hardware)
Location: Shanghai, China
Profile: A large-scale industrial parts supplier with a product catalog exceeding 10,000 SKUs.

Client Goals

  • Develop an online B2B procurement channel to offset slowing offline growth.
  • Reach North American small-to-medium enterprises and local distributors directly.
  • Manage and sell a large, complex SKU portfolio effectively on Amazon.

Key Challenges

  • Products are highly standardized, with transparent pricing and thin profit margins.
  • Target customers are professional buyers — their decision process differs greatly from that of individual consumers.
  • Massive workload in uploading, managing, and optimizing thousands of SKUs.

Operation Strategy

1. Amazon Business Expansion:
Built a dedicated Amazon Business presence with quantity discounts, business-only pricing, and complete enterprise procurement data such as UNSPSC codes.

2. Professional Brand Positioning:
Developed an “Industrial Knowledge Base” within A+ content and Brand Store — including product selection guides, technical datasheets, and downloadable installation manuals — positioning the brand as an industrial expert.

3. Intelligent Advertising Structure:
Deployed product targeting ads across competing listings to capture high-intent traffic, while protecting branded keywords to safeguard brand value.

4. Virtual Bundling for Added Value:
Created bundled product solutions (e.g., “Screw + Washer + Nut Set”) to provide convenience for buyers, increase order size, and strengthen cross-selling efficiency.

Key Results

✅ Achieved annual sales exceeding $50 million, with 90% from Amazon Business orders.
✅ Business customers’ average order value is 15× higher than retail transactions.
✅ Virtual bundling and solution-oriented selling improved gross margin by ~20%.
✅ Recognized as one of the most comprehensive and professional industrial component suppliers on Amazon.

“1981’s team helped us realize the immense potential of industrial digitalization. Amazon Business is not just about listing products — it’s about building a new B2B business model.”
— E-commerce Director, Company

Core Insights

1. Leverage Amazon Business Tools:
Quantity discounts and business-only pricing are essential to attract and retain enterprise clients.

2. Serve Professional Buyers with Professional Content:
Providing detailed technical and decision-making resources builds trust and improves conversion.

3. Virtual Bundling Adds Strategic Value:
Packaging standard components into ready-made solutions elevates perceived value and escapes price competition.