When Amazon opened its store to third-party sellers in 2000, it was a small experiment. No one knew it would shift the entire retail world. Since then, twenty five years of amazon sellers later, this partnership has generated more than two and a half trillion dollars in sales, created millions of jobs, and changed the way people shop online.
Today, more than half of all sales on Amazon come from small and medium-sized businesses.
Amazon celebrated this milestone by highlighting the tools that helped sellers grow. Programs like FBA, Brand Registry, and Amazon Ads opened the door for small brands to scale faster than ever. More recently, Amazon has introduced new AI tools that create listings, edit images, and help sellers run their operations with less manual work. For many entrepreneurs, the platform has been a powerful way to reach customers and turn small ideas into real businesses.
Not everyone felt like celebrating, though. Under Amazon’s anniversary video, hundreds of sellers expressed frustration. Many have discussed higher fees, tighter storage limits, delayed reimbursements, and sudden policy changes that they struggle to keep up with.
Others said the partnership feels unbalanced because Amazon focuses more on customer satisfaction and platform profits than on seller margins.
Some comments went further, describing the platform as hard to trust. Sellers worry about having their listings suspended without warning or losing control over their inventory. Others feel Amazon uses their data to compete with them. This disconnect shows that the relationship between sellers and the platform can be pretty challenging.
The lesson for sellers is simple. Amazon offers a huge opportunity, but it should not be the only place where a brand grows. Sellers who diversify into other channels, like DTC websites, Walmart, and new marketplaces, protect themselves and build more stable businesses. Amazon can remain a strong part of a strategy, but it should not be the entire strategy.
There is still a lot of potential for those who sell on Amazon.
The platform continues to evolve, and new tools will continue to shape the experience. But after twenty-five years, one thing is clear. Sellers succeed when they utilize Amazon as a partner, not their sole lifeline.