Amazon Business Prime FAQ

What are the key differences between Amazon Prime in SupplyNet and ordering from amazon.ca?

Amazon Business Prime in SupplyNet allows for approved business purchases.
Please note the following differences:

  • The Delivery Address (Room, Building etc.) is assigned in SupplyNet to University designated locations only. Home deliveries are not permitted. Deliveries to Central Receiving are made during University business hours.
  • SupplyNet Requisitions must be approved within 7 days. Requisitions not approved within 7 days will be automatically cancelled in Amazon and must be re-created. Note that pricing is held for 7 days but inventory is not held.
  • The Amazon Checkout Cart must match the SupplyNet Order. If item related changes are required in the SupplyNet Requisition after checkout, please clear your SupplyNet cart and select the items again in Amazon.
  • For SupplyNet orders, payment is processed via SupplyNet NOT Pcard or Personal credit card.
  • Coupons and Lightning Deals (time sensitive deals) are not valid in SupplyNet.
Do I need to create a new account in Amazon for SupplyNet ordering?

No, Your new Amazon Business Prime account will be automatically created with your ccid@ualberta.ca when you access the Amazon Catalogue in SupplyNet for the first time.

I have an existing Amazon account associated with my CCID email address, is there anything I need to do?

We recommend separating your existing Amazon Account from the new Amazon Supplynet account.

When you access Amazon via SupplyNet for the first time, you will be prompted on what to do with your current ccid@ualberta.ca Amazon account.
When prompted, select either:

  • Personal shopping only, or 
  • A mix of business and personal shopping.

Then assign a new email to your existing Amazon Account.
We do not recommend the transfer of your existing Amazon Account (UofA Business Shopping only) as this will transfer your entire purchase history to the UofA’s central Amazon Business Account, including any personal purchases made on that account. 

Note: No impact on other Amazon Accounts (personal gmail or alias email accounts)

When should I order from Amazon Catalogue in SupplyNet?

Preferred Suppliers are the first choice for purchasing goods and services. Products not available from Preferred Suppliers can be ordered using the Amazon catalogue in SuppyNet.

Amazon is offering a better price on a product than our preferred supplier. What should I do?

Preferred Suppliers are competitively bid and offer the best overall value to the university from a pricing, product quality and processing cost perspective. By combining the spend of the entire university, we are able to negotiate better overall pricing and secure increased savings.

In general, we discourage comparison shopping on items that are available from our preferred suppliers for the following reasons:

  • Comparison shopping and Ordering from other Suppliers is more time consuming and this practice also impacts the University’s ability to negotiate future volume discounts with our Preferred Suppliers.
  • Product Quality, Warranty and Standards from Amazon Vendors are not guaranteed as they are with our Preferred Suppliers.
  • Users may incur additional costs, like shipping, customs or special handling that may not be applicable with our Preferred Suppliers.
  • Return Policies and associated costs are more restrictive than with our Preferred Suppliers.

For these reasons, we recommend that you order from our Preferred Supplier and not comparison shop. However, if you are aware of a material price difference for a comparable product on Amazon, SupplyNet does not prevent you from placing an Amazon Order. If you feel the price difference is significant, please notify the Procurement team at procure@ualberta.ca, so we can investigate and follow up with our Preferred Supplier where required.

Is Amazon Business prime also applicable to PCard purchases or Personal Purchases?

No, the University Amazon Prime Account is not available for direct Amazon.ca P-Card Ordering. It is only available in SupplyNet.

How do I indicate my Ship-To Address?

The Delivery Address (Room, Building etc.) is assigned in SupplyNet to University designated locations only. Home deliveries are not permitted. Deliveries to Central Receiving are made during University business hours.

How do I track my Amazon order?

You can view real-time delivery details for all pending orders, including estimated delivery date and carrier information. From within your account, navigate to Amazon > Your Orders > Track Package.

How can I return an item?

To return an item, access your Amazon Business account. Navigate to “Your Orders” to find the item(s) you want to return. From Your Orders:

  1. Select Return or Replace items 
  2. Choose a reason for return
  3. Print label and authorization
  4. Prepare package and return label
  5. Deliver the return package to Central Receiving for Pickup by carrier (e.g Canada Post)

Items shipped and sold by Amazon.ca can be returned within 30 days of receipt of shipment. Return policies, and timeframes, can vary if the purchase was made from a 3rd party seller. 

How do I modify my order?

To add items simply create a new Amazon order.

To cancel the order, go to Your Account > Your Orders. For the item to be cancelled, click Cancel items.

Select the cancellation reason (optional), and confirm the cancellation.

Changes to existing orders can not be made and will not be processed. Cancel the original order in Amazon and place a new order with changes required

Note: No need to make any changes in SupplyNet for order or line cancellation. PCM will periodically close outstanding Amazon Orders.

Are home deliveries permitted?

No, all SupplyNet Catalogue Orders (for Preferred Suppliers and Amazon) are delivered to University designated locations only.

Are there any product restrictions that will not work for Amazon?

 Unsupported Amazon purchases include:

  • Digital downloads, including: eBooks, audio books, movies, videos, music, software, and games
  • Electronic and physical Gift Cards
  • Subscriptions, including Subscribe & Save
How long is the pricing held for?

Checkout Price is held for 7 days. Approvals must be completed within this timeframe, otherwise the Order is cancelled by Amazon and the Requester must create a new Amazon Order.

What potential ‘other charges’ may be added to my order?

You may notice other charges such as shipping, special handling, environmental and import fee during Amazon Checkout. These charges will not appear on your SupplyNet requisition or order. Other charges will be paid as per invoice and will be summarized in the shipping field on your SupplyNet invoice.

Are there any limitations that would result in my order being cancelled?

Yes. Below are instances in which orders can be cancelled due to limitations Amazon Business limitations:

  • If the approval is not completed within seven days, the order will be cancelled.
  • Inventory is not held. Amazon will ship items in stock (partial shipments) and will not fill back orders. Order / item will be cancelled if there is no inventory or replacements found.
  • Multiple Amazon sessions will result in a cancelled order. When shopping on Amazon Business throughSupplyNet, make sure your single checkout session matches your order.
  • Changing or Modifying your cart in SupplyNet – If a PO is sent with deleted line items or modified quantities, the order will be rejected. 
  • Ordered items were damaged in transit and were not delivered to campus. 
  • Other unusual circumstances (e.g items damaged in transit) and could not not be delivered to campus.
Am I able to make purchases through Amazon Business without accessing the eProcurement System?

No. Business purchases should only be made through the eProcurement System. If you attempt to make a purchase outside of the eProcurement System you will not be able to check out.

What notifications should I expect to receive from Amazon after an order has been placed successfully?
  1. Requester will receive a confirmation email that will state the order's estimated delivery date and shipping speed. 
  2. Requester will receive an email once the order has been shipped
  3. The person who placed the order will receive an email once the order has been received at Central Receiving
  4. Requester will receive notification when items are only partially shipped or cancelled. Amazon will not fill back orders.