Building an effective AWS Marketplace strategy

Expanding into new markets represents a critical milestone for startups, yet it comes with complex challenges. While focus on innovation and product development remains a priority, the strategic expansion of your customer base demands equal attention. Successfully launching your solution requires not only refined marketing expertise but also tools that streamline your sales operations and foster meaningful customer relationships. Fortunately, AWS provides robust ecosystems of resources and strategic partners to support your growth journey, ensuring your path to market expansion is both strategic and successful.

AWS Marketplace is a curated digital catalog that provides a sales channel for Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and Consulting Partners to sell their solutions directly to AWS customers. AWS Marketplace makes it easy for customers to find, buy, deploy and manage software solutions, including SaaS, in minutes. Startups can unlock a global customer base, simplify procurement, and leverage a range of programs to build credibility, generate demand, and scale efficiently. To maximize your success on AWS Marketplace, join the AWS Partner Network (APN), a global community that leverages AWS technologies, programs, expertise, and tools to create solutions for customers. Begin your APN journey with our Join the AWS Partner Network: A step-by-step guide for startups.

Our programs, resources, and AWS experts provide the strategic guidance, pricing optimization, and specialized tools you need to excel in AWS Marketplace, freeing your team to focus on their primary mission: creating groundbreaking technology that redefines tomorrow.

When’s the right time to join AWS Marketplace?

Maximize your market readiness by completing an AWS Foundational Technical Review (FTR). Whether your software is delivered as a SaaS solution or deployed by your customers, the FTR helps you identify AWS Well-Architected best practices specific to your software or solution. FTR is a self-service review that is valuable at any stage of your cloud journey. It is valid for three years from date of approval and you can conduct it at no cost.

To succeed on AWS Marketplace, your startup must demonstrate a well-defined product offering and proven customer success, showing clear evidence that your solution addresses specific AWS customer needs or enhances existing AWS services. Your business must operate within supported jurisdictions to participate.

While historically AWS Marketplace required SaaS products to run partially on AWS infrastructure, our updated Software as a Service Policy now welcomes all SaaS products regardless of deployment location. Startups will be able to list their complete software portfolios in AWS Marketplace, streamlining their go-to-market strategy and reaching more AWS customers. Importantly, products 100% deployed on AWS infrastructure will receive a ‘Deployed on AWS’ badge and will continue to count towards additional customer benefits. This will help organizations maximize their cloud investments while procuring the products that best fit their needs.

With expanded choice, customers will be able to take advantage of the benefits of AWS Marketplace for more software purchases, including:

• Enhanced discovery and evaluation: Discover thousands of software products, compare products to find the best fit for customers, and get hands-on experience before purchasing with access to free trials.

• Streamlined procurement: Optimize time-to-value with standard contracts and flexible payment options. Test software, pay as you go, and negotiate custom terms and pricing.

• Cost optimization: Reduce SaaS sprawl by consolidating your software spend with AWS Marketplace billing. Keep track of multiple accounts, and access tools to help customers set budgets and track spend.

Strong leadership alignment and dedicated resources drive AWS Marketplace excellence. Your executive team must establish clear growth objectives, while your organization commits to embracing both the technical and business frameworks of AWS Marketplace. A dedicated Partnerships or Alliance leader must drive co-sell initiatives with AWS, ensuring seamless collaboration and maximum market impact.

How can I get started with AWS Marketplace?

Once qualified for AWS Marketplace, select transaction and pricing models that align with your business strategy and customer requirements. Choose from enterprise procurement options, flexible subscriptions, or customized Private Offers to accelerate sales.

Select Your Delivery Method:

• Amazon Machine Images for ML and AMI-based software.

• Container deployments via Amazon ECS, EKS, or orchestration services.

• Software-as-a-Service solutions.

For SaaS offerings, choose from:

• Usage-based subscriptions with automated tracking.

• Fixed-term contracts from one month to three years.

• Hybrid models combining fixed pricing with consumption billing.

AWS Marketplace enables public pricing, free trials, and Private Offers for custom agreements. While AWS handles transactions, you can build direct relationships with customers and Channel Partners to drive sustained growth. Thoughtful pricing strategy and offer structure maximize your market potential and accelerate customer adoption.

What support is available?

Your AWS Marketplace journey combines your team's expertise with AWS's comprehensive support system. Access essential features and dedicated AWS Partner Teams to accelerate your market success.

AWS Marketplace features include:

• Vendor Insights: Simplifies and accelerates risk assessments performed by third party organizations and streamlines the procurement process.

• Buy With AWS: Makes buying and selling a smoother process, giving customers easier access to your solutions by purchasing quickly and directly via their AWS account and budget. Your startup will benefit from greater visibility, and your team will be able to track metrics that help drive conversions.

• Seller reporting: Access data on things like product usage, customers, payments, and billing. Configure reports to your requirements, and receive daily, weekly, or monthly updates.

• Flexible Pricing: With flexible pricing options such as Free Trial, Hourly, Monthly, Annual and Multi-Year, Bring Your Own License (BYOL), and Seller Private Offers, you can choose the model that best suits your business.

As an AWS APN member, you’re likely engaged with your AWS Account or Partner Team. This strategic partnership empowers your startup to lead while AWS provides targeted support for maximum impact.

Working with your AWS Partner Team can help with:

• Accelerate deals by facilitating introductions with customer stakeholders and assisting with alignment and strategy to speed up deal cycles.

• Expand accounts by identifying key contacts within your existing accounts as well as offering support for expansion into new business units. Account/Partner Teams can also elevate conversations from technical champions to senior and global decision makers, helping you position your solutions as part of larger, long-term investments and initiatives.

• Share account intelligence, helping you gain a more comprehensive insight into your customers and their needs, to create a more effective marketing and sales strategy.

• Offset proof-of-concept (POC)/migration costs in some co-sell scenarios by providing AWS credits to reduce the cost of AWS usage for your POC or migration. This can lower the barrier to adoption and ensure startups with limited resources can innovate and drive sales.

Your AWS Partner Team transforms growth challenges into market opportunities, maximizing your solution's reach and impact.

Which programs can I access and what qualifications do I need?

Strategic timing is key to maximizing your AWS Marketplace success. Early investment in AWS programs and capabilities accelerates your co-selling journey and speeds market entry, while continuous learning maintains your competitive edge.

Time investment should be a cornerstone of your long-term AWS Marketplace strategy, helping your team master new skills and stay current with the latest solutions and features. Participating in events and webinars creates valuable opportunities to connect, collaborate and learn from AWS experts, Partners, and industry leaders who are driving cloud innovation.

Building an effective AWS Marketplace strategy extends far beyond simply listing your solution—it's about positioning your business for sustainable growth. Forward-thinking companies are already achieving this, with AWS Marketplace expanding their reach and enabling streamlined global transactions. They're seeing 80% larger deals and 40% faster sales cycles through simplified processes that accelerate revenue growth. These optimizations are freeing up valuable time for teams to focus on increasing innovation and improving performance and security.

By following this strategic approach, leveraging the AWS Partner Network, and utilizing AWS Marketplace programs and features, your startup can join others in accelerating sales cycles, reaching new customers, and scaling with confidence. With the right timing, preparation, and commitment, you can transform AWS Marketplace into a powerful driver of long-term success.

Ready to start selling? Check out the next article in this series, Effortlessly Building Your AWS Marketplace Listing, for guidance on preparing and publishing your solutions.