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Amazon Business
Summary
To provide additional purchasing options for WVU PCard holders, the Procurement Contracting and Payment Services (PCPS) team will launch a new program with Amazon Business on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. All University business purchases made through Amazon must now be made through WVU’s central Amazon Business account.
This new partnership will allow purchasers to take advantage of Amazon’s wide product selection and competitive prices. Shopping on Amazon Business is as easy as shopping on Amazon.com, creating a simple and user-friendly purchasing process for WVU PCard holders.
Additional benefits include:
- Free two-day shipping on Prime-eligible items
- Automatic tax-exempt purchasing on items sold by Amazon.com LLC and participating third-party sellers
- Access to millions of additional products, available only to Amazon Business customers
- Business-specific pricing, including quantity discounts on eligible items
- Access to the WVU Amazon Business account on your mobile device through the Amazon Business Mobile App via the App Store or Google Play
- Access to a specialized Amazon Business Customer Service team
On Nov. 1, 2023, WVU PCard holders will receive instructions via email to set up their Amazon Business account and can begin purchasing. Moving forward, all Amazon purchases for WVU purposes must be made through WVU’s Amazon Business account.
Please review the Purchasing and Payment Guidelines and the WVU/WVURC PCard Manual for guidance on items that can and cannot be purchased with a PCard. WVU’s Amazon Business account should be used only for items that are not available for purchase through Mountaineer Marketplace catalogs. Please review the requirements of the IT Purchase Request process (WVU Login required). IT approval is required for most technology purchases, including many items in the Mountaineer Marketplace catalogs.
For questions about WVU’s Amazon Business account, please review the below FAQs or contact the PCPS team at PCardAdministration@mail.wvu.edu.
Training
View the training document to learn how to use WVU’s Amazon Business Account.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can shop through WVU’s Amazon Business account?
WVU employees who have an active PCard will have access to the University’s Amazon Business account.
2. What am I allowed to buy through Amazon? Does this replace Mountaineer Marketplace for shopping?
Please review the Purchasing and Payment Guidelines, as well as the WVU/WVURC PCard Manual for guidance on items that can and cannot be purchased with a PCard. WVU’s Amazon Business account should be utilized for items that are not available for purchase through Mountaineer Marketplace catalogs.
Remember that an approved ITS Purchase Request is required for most technology purchases, including many items in the Mountaineer Marketplace catalog.
3. Can I use this account for personal purchases?
No. WVU’s Amazon Business account can only be used for business purchases.
4. Can I use this account for business purposes but pay with a personal credit card?
No. WVU’s Amazon Business account can only be used for purchases being paid for by WVU, WVU Research Corporation or WVU Foundation PCard.
5. How do I access to the account?
All employees who have an active PCard will receive emailed instructions on Nov. 1, 2023, with steps on how to activate their account. The login information will be your WVU single sign-on credentials.
6. I already have an Amazon account tied to my WVU email address. Do I have to do anything?
All employees who have an active Amazon account will receive emailed instructions on Nov. 1, 2023, with steps on how to activate their account and/or transition their current account to WVU’s central Amazon Business account. Current account holders must complete that process before placing any new Amazon purchases in order to receive Prime shipping and tax exemption, as well as to avoid any potential PCard violations for purchasing outside of the approved Business account. Please note that users’ order histories will follow their merged accounts and will still be accessible.
7. Will purchases be tax-exempt?
Yes, for purchases being shipped to locations where WVU is tax-exempt. Shoppers do not need to perform any additional steps to demonstrate their tax-exempt status.
8. Will shipping be free?
Free two-day shipping will be available for all Prime-eligible items, which include more than 92% of products on Amazon Business.
9. I have an existing Amazon Prime account that is paid for with University funds. Do I need to cancel it?
Yes. If you have a current Amazon Prime account for business purposes, that account should be canceled. WVU’s Amazon Business account offers Prime shipping for all employees. Our training will provide information on how to contact Amazon to cancel your individual Prime membership.
10. Can I use this system to purchase gift cards for allowable business purposes?
WVU’s Amazon Business account should only be used to purchase Amazon gift cards for those situations where a gift card purchase is allowable. A Gift Card Request Form must be submitted and approved in Mountaineer Marketplace prior to the purchase. Please see Section IV of the WVU/WVURC PCard Manual for specific policies and procedures.
Information Technology Services reminds all faculty and staff to be skeptical of urgent emails asking you to purchase gift cards using personal or University funds. These emails may appear to come from a supervisor, a colleague or another WVU employee, but they are really from would-be thieves. Validate any unusual requests for information or payments with the purported sender by contacting the person via Teams or phone call to confirm the request. Do not respond to the email you received. Learn more about scams at defendyourdata.wvu.edu.
13. Can I use my personal Amazon account for business purchases?
No. Business purchases must be purchased through WVU’s Amazon Business account.
14. Can my coworker use my Amazon account?
No. Employees are not permitted to share their WVU Login information or have others make purchases through their account. It is a violation of University policy to share any WVU technology resource, including your credentials, with anyone.
15. Is there training available on how to use WVU’s Amazon Business Account?