Amazon to host first Southeast Asia Seller Summit for small and medium-sized businesses to Start Local, Go Global

The two-day complimentary virtual event focuses on empowering small and medium-sized businesses to develop strategies and skills to reach more customers locally and globally

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 18 January 2021 - (NASDAQ:AMZN) - With online purchases on the rise and more consumers becoming digital-first in their shopping journey^[1], Amazon is hosting its inaugural Southeast Asia Seller Summit to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the region reach more customers worldwide. The Amazon Southeast Asia Online Seller Summit 2021 will be held on January 28 and 29, 2021, 10am SGT onwards.

Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Chan Chun Sing, will grace the virtual event on January 28, 10am SGT as the Guest-of-Honour. He will be joined by leaders of Amazon Singapore, industry experts, and local business owners selling on Amazon.sg. With the focus on 'Start Local, Go Global', the Summit will discuss the impact of e-commerce trends and how local businesses can sell online with Amazon's 18 marketplaces to expand internationally.

The Amazon Southeast Asia Online Seller Summit 2021 will make online cross-border selling more accessible to SMBs and equip them with the insights and resources to address rapidly evolving consumer demands and expectations. Sellers can learn about top product categories and how to grow their business online, with Amazon Merchandising and Brand Success Tools, while managing their logistics with Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA). Additionally, the Summit will include 1:1 sessions with third party service providers (logistics and payment companies) from Amazon's Service Provider Network to share best practices for businesses to bounce back quicker from the impact of COVID-19 and expand their retail presence. Furthermore, sellers can connect with one another and learn about the skills development programs offered by Amazon.

"Supporting small and medium-sized businesses has been a fundamental part of the work we do at Amazon and we are excited to continue expanding our support for sellers in Singapore and Southeast Asia," said Henry Low, Country Manager, Amazon Singapore. "I believe that everything big starts with something small. With our growing resources and support for local sellers here, we want to empower them to seize the huge opportunities in selling online and across shores -- helping them start local, go global. As of today, we offer over 135 tools and services to help sellers worldwide manage their businesses. The Amazon Southeast Asia Online Seller Summit 2021 is another milestone for us to bring more sellers online, support their growth journey, and connect them with customers everywhere."

In addition to industry and consumer insights, participating SMBs can access professional training courses, 1:1 consultations, and programs to sell with Amazon. Local sellers on Amazon will also share their best practices and advice for SMBs. For instance, hear from Debbie Cai, founder of Rui Smiths, on how the hunger to build something of her own led her to quit her job as a news editor in New York City and become an entrepreneur. Since 2014, Debbie has been able to sell internationally with Amazon, despite a limited retail background, and grow Rui Smiths across twelve countries -- US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Australia, Netherlands, Singapore and most recently, Sweden.

"My fellow seller ambassadors and the other sellers I have met through Amazon have been invaluable as a support network for me and my business. Some of the tips and insights we exchanged have affirmed my knowledge that we are all on the right track. I am looking forward to launching new products this year while widening my distribution circle internationally, by leveraging Amazon's reach and tools. At the Amazon Southeast Asia Online Seller Summit 2021, I hope to share some of these learnings and experiences that have been fundamental to the success of my business," said Debbie Cai, founder, Rui Smiths.

For a more hands-on guide to selling on Amazon, participants can join the workshop sessions hosted by Amazon on Day 2, January 29, 2021, between 10am and 5pm SGT.

For more information and event registration, please visit: http://amzn.to/SGOSS-signup

^[1] Euromonitor International. https://go.euromonitor.com/white-paper-dc-200922-digital-consumer-journey.html

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, and Kindle are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit Amazon.sg.