Amazon Launches a New ‘Kickstarter’ Marketplace
Need some new shoes with images of limes on them but not sure where to look? Amazon has you covered.
The Seattle company’s e-commerce site already sells pretty much any commodity you could want, but Amazon’s new marketplace branches beyond the ordinary household items and electronics.
Amazon Exclusives, which launched Wednesday, will sell new products from “up-and-coming” companies, that have done well in pitch competitions or crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter or other sites.
Amazon customers have been expecting something like the new marketplace since job postings surfaced in January.
Some of the products were featured on the reality TV show “Shark Tank” and many others have won industry innovation awards, according to an Amazon press release.
“Our mission on behalf of customers is to make Amazon the destination for brands and innovators to launch and sell their products, providing our customers early access to new products,” Peter Faricy, VP of Amazon Marketplace, said in a statement. “We understand that helping brands gain exposure for their award-winning new products is beneficial to customers that desire to be the first to have the hot new item.”
The new program is also beneficial to Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN).
Amazon will hold exclusive third-party rights to the products on the site, meaning the companies can sell the items on their own sites but not on any other outside site or in outside physical stores.