With a strong start to the holiday shopping season for independent sellers on Amazon, the company hosted an intimate dinner in New York City just before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to celebrate and discuss how shopping small in Amazon’s store positively impacts local communities across the country.

According to Amazon’s holiday data, during this year’s Prime Big Deal Days, the first shopping event of the season, independent sellers saw record sales compared to sales in the same event in 2023. It’s good news, as these small businesses prep for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period saw customers order more than 500 million items from independent sellers, most of which were small and medium-sized businesses, in 2023. The year set a record for the holiday season on Amazon with customers purchasing more items than ever before from independent sellers.

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Small business leaders in attendance at the Amazon Small Business dinner included Maria Dueñas Jacobs of Super Smalls, Tracy Green and Nancey Harris of Vontélle Eyewear, Teri Johnson of Harlem Candle Co., Aisha Chottani of Moment, and Felipe Vasconcelos of Kapuluan Coconut. The dinner was cohosted by Amazon with Chris Appleton, celebrity hairstylist and creative director of Color Wow, who has found his own meaningful success through Amazon.

“Amazon’s small business community is incredibly important, providing a vast selection of amazing products, great prices and convenience for customers,” Kelsey Friedrich, senior communications manager at Amazon, Small Business Empowerment, told WWD. “Supporting them is a priority during this busy shopping season and year-round.”

Appleton told WWD that from his perspective, “Amazon has been an absolute game-changer for small business entrepreneurs” like himself. Adding that “their commitment to small businesses is truly incredible.”

“[Amazon’s] tools for shipping, logistics and marketing have helped me and Color Wow connect with a global audience and get my products into the hands of people who need them quickly and efficiently,” said Appleton. “The exposure Amazon provides, especially during key shopping moments like Prime Day, Black Friday/Cyber Monday, the holiday season and more allows small businesses to shine and reach customers in ways that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.”