On Nov. 7, 2023, UC Merced will reintroduce the campus community to Amazon Business, a service designed to meet specific procurement needs. Shopping on Amazon Business combines the selection and convenience familiar to Amazon customers with unique benefits designed for vital learning institutions such as UC Merced.
Amazon Business integrates seamlessly with the UC Merced Procurement Card (P-Card). Campus users still have the option to order with the Oracle-based punchout catalog. However, there are several benefits to making P-Card purchases with Amazon Business:
- Personal or business purchases made with a P-Card on a regular Amazon created with a UC Merced email can expose the entire account history via audit. With Amazon Business, your personal account, on a separate email, is protected.
- Easy access to sustainable and local products
- Support of small and diverse sellers in Merced and surrounding communities
- Speedy checkout/delivery experience – order directly without delayed processing times
- Leverage the Custom Quote Engine for discounts on bulk purchases in every category
- Unlocked full access to purchasing for campus P-Card users
- Those without a P-Card can create custom shopping lists (“wishlists”) to share with department administrators who will complete the order
- Access to specialized, dedicated Amazon Business Customer Service
Note that a primary goal of this reintroduction of UC Merced’s Amazon Business account is to ensure all Amazon purchases for the university be made through this account.
Training
Representatives from Amazon, along with knowledge experts from UC Merced’s Supply Chain Center of Excellence, will be on campus Nov. 7-8 to answer questions about Amazon Business and share tips about the service’s processes and purchasing guidelines. Watch your inbox for times and locations.
Beyond the in-person launch days, we also will have recurring office hours and training. Check back as we get closer to launch to sign up for days and times.
