Businesses in Oxfordshire at risk of losing millions online

Figures from Amazon show that more than 4,300 small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire benefitted from sales close to £230 million in 2022 by using Amazon.

The data also revealed that more than half of all physical product sales on the UK Amazon store are produced by independent selling partners, the majority being SMEs.

Chris Turton, an online sales expert and founder of specialist Amazon agency Ecommerce Intelligence, said hundreds of businesses were either neglecting their online presence, or ignoring it completely.

He added: "Around 100,000 UK-based SMEs sell their products with Amazon and last year those businesses recorded over £3 billion in sales in 2022."

“I find it mindblowing how many businesses I have spoken to who think they don't need Amazon for their business or ecommerce growth.

“They say things to me like: ‘If people want our product they will find it on our website’, but that simply isn’t the case. I would go as far as saying if you're not on Amazon your brand is not going to be a category leader. Period.

“There are 13.5 million people in the UK alone who pay for a Prime membership - Amazon is their go-to shopping channel and if a business is not on there, a keyword search will lead them to a competitor. They will never find your product, even if your brand has a reputation.”

Mr Turton is launching a free workshop aimed at helping businesses start or improve their online sales.

Yet, simply being on Amazon is insufficient, Mr Turton warns.

Much like a physical shop, businesses need to commit to their online presence, ensuring proper page designs and optimising keywords.

He said: "Businesses need to be on Amazon, but they also need to make sure they are as committed to it as they would be to a physical shop.”