The online marketplace hasn’t confirmed anything official but has teased at the concept.
In a new survey, Amazon hinted at the prospect of offering seller health care by asking those selling on its platform regarding their satisfaction with their current coverage plans.
In the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, the marketplace seems to be thinking of supporting its sellers.
Seller health care could help those offering products on Amazon’s platform with coverage. This would involve stepping into an entirely new space and industry. Amazon’s third-party sellers represent almost sixty percent of all the retail sales made on the platform. The latest data shows that there are about 900,000 accounts actively selling on the platform in the Untied States alone.
The sizable merchant base makes Amazon an extremely powerful retailer. At the same time, it means that there is a substantial target market to whom health plans can be offered. Last week, Amazon revealed that it may indeed be investigating taking such a route by surveying its sellers and inquiring regarding the types of health plan they had or would want.
The survey questions are indicating that seller health care insurance plans may be brewing.
The questions in the survey asked sellers whether the coverage they currently had was satisfactory. It also inquired as to whether they would prefer a form of alternative option for their health plans.
“What can be improved on your current health coverage?” asked one of the questions, according to a VOX report. “Are you interested in alternative health insurance options?” asked a follow-up question.
The survey delved even more deeply into the health insurance situation among Amazon sellers. It asked how much they were currently paying in premiums for their plans and what percentage of those costs were covered by employees. Amazon’s survey asked about the shopping process for finding a plan and how complex people found it to be in terms of finding the right coverage at an affordable premium for employees. It asked if they were satisfied with the coverage they were receiving for what they’re paying.
At no point in the survey did Amazon directly state that it was planning to develop or offer seller health care insurance. However, the survey did conclude with the statement: “[w]e will keep you informed as we explore how Amazon may be able to support your needs better.”