Frequently Asked Questions

Question

What is AWS Marketplace?

Answer 1

AWS Marketplace is Amazon's commercial channel for buying and selling software. It lets customers purchase third-party SaaS products using their AWS account, route deals through procurement, and apply spend toward existing AWS commitments like EDPs.

For founders, being listed on Marketplace means your product can be purchased the same way customers already buy AWS services, without forcing a separate vendor onboarding process.

Answer 2

Marketplace has shifted from a nice-to-have listing to a core buying path for mid-market and enterprise customers.
Today, Marketplace is often required to:

- Close enterprise deals faster
- Pass procurement and security reviews
- Apply spend to EDP commitments
- Participate in AWS-led GTM motions

As AWS reduces direct partner sales coverage, Marketplace becomes the system that standardizes how deals move forward without relying on human intervention.

Answer 3

Both, but in different ways.

Marketplace rarely creates net-new demand on its own. Its real value is downstream. It removes friction once a buyer already wants your product.

In practice, Marketplace enables procurement and legal approval, supports private pricing and deal terms, and aligns your deal with AWS incentives and programs.

Think of it as the execution layer for revenue, not the demand engine.

Answer 4

Primarily cloud-native companies, regulated industries, and enterprises with centralized procurement.

Common buyer profiles include security and infrastructure teams, platform and data engineering teams, and finance and procurement leaders enforcing AWS purchasing standards.

In many organizations, buying outside of AWS Marketplace is discouraged or blocked entirely once scale is reached.

Answer 5

Customers purchase software through either public offers or Private Offers.

Public offers are fixed-price listings available to anyone. Private Offers allow customized pricing, terms, and durations for specific customers.

Most enterprise deals rely on Private Offers to align with procurement requirements, budgets, and AWS commitments.

Answer 6

A Private Offer is a customized Marketplace offer created for a specific customer.

You typically need a Private Offer when pricing is negotiated, contract terms differ from your public listing, or the customer wants the purchase to align with AWS commitments or renewals.

Private Offers are central to how serious Marketplace deals get done.

Answer 7

Marketplace streamlines buying by standardizing vendor onboarding, contracting, and billing.

For many customers, purchasing through AWS reduces legal review, simplifies security approvals, and centralizes renewals and spend tracking.

This is why Marketplace often becomes non-negotiable at scale.

Answer 8

Because AWS Marketplace increasingly controls how serious buyers are allowed to buy.

As companies scale, procurement, finance, and security teams reduce exceptions. Marketplace becomes the approved path, not an optional one. If your product cannot be purchased this way, deals slow down or quietly die.

For founders, Marketplace is not about exposure. It is about maintaining control over how deals close, avoiding last-minute procurement surprises, and aligning revenue with how customers already spend on AWS.

Ignoring Marketplace does not usually break deals immediately. It erodes leverage over time.

Answer 9

The Sprint is built for SaaS founders who are selling to mid-market or enterprise buyers, have customers asking to buy through AWS Marketplace or know the demand is there, and want Marketplace to drive deals, not just satisfy a procurement checkbox.

It is not the right fit if you are pre-product, pre-revenue, not selling to AWS customers, or looking for long-term consulting or deep technical implementation.

See the full fit criteria on the Pricing page.

Answer 10

You keep everything we deliver.

The Sprint fee covers strategy, execution, and delivered work. All Marketplace listings, offer structures, and workflows created during the engagement belong to you, with no ongoing dependency or lock-in.

Answer 11

Apply through the eligibility form. We will review your situation and confirm fit within one business day. If it is not the right time, we will tell you honestly. If it is, we get to work.

Answer 12

Before you are forced to.

The right time is typically when you are selling to mid-market or enterprise buyers, customers start asking about procurement or AWS alignment, or larger deals begin taking longer to close without clear reasons.

Waiting until a deal is blocked creates pressure and poor decisions. Preparing earlier gives you flexibility, cleaner pricing, and fewer surprises when Marketplace becomes mandatory.

Marketplace readiness is cheapest and easiest before it becomes urgent.

Answer 13

Not always, but it matters more as you move upmarket.

Enterprise buyers increasingly expect pricing that aligns with usage or value, especially for larger commitments. Poor metering decisions early can limit flexibility later.

You do not need to over-engineer this on day one, but you should make intentional choices that do not block future deals.

Answer 14

Timelines vary, but most delays are not technical.

Common factors that affect speed include legal and tax readiness, pricing and packaging decisions, internal approval cycles, and AWS review timelines.

Founders who prepare correctly move faster. Those who wait until a deal is blocked often move slower under pressure.

Answer 15

Co-sell readiness means your product, pricing, and deal structure are usable inside AWS sales and procurement workflows.

In practice, this includes a clean Marketplace listing, the ability to issue Private Offers, clear pricing and packaging, and a defined customer use case AWS can understand.

It does not mean AWS sellers will actively sell your product. Today, co-sell is more about being eligible than being carried.

Answer 16

Sometimes, but it is not guaranteed.

AWS engagement depends on factors like customer size, workload relevance, timing, and internal priorities. Marketplace listing alone does not trigger seller coverage.

Founders should assume AWS support will be inconsistent and design their GTM motion so it does not depend on it.

Answer 17

Marketplace is often the commercial bridge between your product and AWS programs.

In many cases, customers want purchases to count toward their EDP, AWS prefers Marketplace-backed transactions for tracking and incentives, and MAP benefits are easier to access when Marketplace is part of the motion.

These programs are not automatic. They require the right structure, timing, and deal setup.

Answer 18

That is normal.

AWS priorities shift, reviews slow down, and programs change. Marketplace strategy should not depend on a single AWS path.

1804 Labs helps founders anticipate these delays and structure deals that can still move forward.

Answer 19

1804 Labs helps SaaS founders design, structure, and execute a Marketplace-ready GTM motion through the AWS Marketplace GTM Sprint.

We focus on commercial and offer structure, Private Offer workflows, Marketplace readiness and execution, and alignment with AWS procurement and program mechanics.

We do not build or deploy infrastructure, act as a reseller or merchant of record, replace engineering, legal, or finance teams, or guarantee AWS seller involvement.

Answer 20

1804 Labs focuses on execution, not software or services delivery.

We do not sell tools, templates, or generic consulting. We work directly with founders to structure Marketplace offers, pricing, and workflows that hold up inside real AWS procurement and GTM motions.

Our work is opinionated, time-bound, and tied to outcomes, not ongoing dependency.

Answer 21

Yes, from a strategy and routing perspective.

1804 Labs helps founders understand when and why to involve resellers, engineering-focused partners, and AWS Field Technical Resources (FTR).

We do not resell, implement, or broker services. Our role is to help you engage the right partners at the right time without creating unnecessary dependencies.

Answer 22

No.

AWS Marketplace removes friction. It does not create demand.

It makes it easier for customers who already want your product to buy it. Revenue still depends on your product, positioning, and sales execution.

Get Started with the AWS Marketplace GTM Sprint

Frequently Asked Questions