Amazon Seller Summit 2017: What Sellers Learned
This post is part of BQool’s event archive, revisiting our experience at the Amazon Seller Summit 2017, the first ever Amazon Seller Summit, held at Pier 94 in New York City.
As Amazon selling continues to evolve, this event remains a meaningful snapshot of how third-party sellers, FBA, global selling, advertising, and seller tools were already shaping the future of ecommerce.
Published: Jul 10, 2017 • Updated: April 28, 2026
Overview
A Memorable Start at Pier 94
The stage glowed with the words “Boost with FBA” across the screen inside the dim, chilly, 133,000-square-foot warehouse setting of Pier 94 in New York City. On June 28th, more than one thousand entrepreneurs gathered for what felt almost like a rock concert, but was actually the first Amazon Seller Summit hosted by Amazon for third-party sellers.
The invite-only event felt exclusive, energetic, and full of possibility. Sellers from across the country and around the world came together to connect, learn, and hear directly from Amazon leaders about the future of selling through FBA.
Although Jeff Bezos and Tom Taylor, the original keynote speaker and FBA founder, were unable to attend, the event opened with strong momentum. Cynthia Williams, Vice President of Fulfillment by Amazon, took the stage with a warm and engaging introduction. She spoke about Amazon’s continued focus on customers and the importance of helping entrepreneurs invest in their own growth, development, and professional networks.
The Vision Behind Boost with FBA
The opening continued with a short video from Tom Taylor, who first proposed the FBA program in 2005. At the time, his team imagined that 500 sellers might use Amazon’s logistics service. Jeff Bezos challenged the team to think much bigger and return with a plan for 30,000 sellers. Today, FBA supports millions of third-party sellers around the world.
Keynote speaker Mark Mitchke, Vice President of FBA and Amazon Global Selling, then shared the larger mission behind Amazon’s seller programs. For FBA, the goal was to help fulfill the world’s selection from any seller, anywhere, at any time. For Amazon Global Selling, the mission was to help sellers anywhere reach customers anywhere in the world.
He noted that in 2016, sellers from around 170 countries were able to sell to customers in about 185 countries. While Amazon had launched 11 marketplaces globally at the time, its export capabilities already allowed sellers to reach customers around the world.
Key Sessions and Seller Takeaways
Boost with FBA gave sellers a rare opportunity to connect directly with Amazon teams, including upper management, account managers, Seller Support, and marketing staff. It also created space for seller-to-seller networking, including a special gathering at Tao Downtown, a high-end multi-level venue in the Meatpacking District.
The one-day conference was divided into four breakout sessions, each covering several important topics designed to help sellers grow, optimize, and expand their businesses.
- Suite of Tools (Amazon Automate, Subscribe & Save, Small & Light)
- Sponsored Products
- Tell your Brand Story and connect with customers beyond the product itself
- Amazon Marketplace Web Services
- Grow your Business Globally
- Manage Your Inventory
- Customer Deals and Promotions (Lightning Deals, Prime Day, and more)
Seller Panel and Prime Day Insights
After the breakout sessions, a three-person seller panel shared real experiences from building brands on Amazon. The discussion covered how sellers create a professional look and feel for their listings, use deals and Sponsored Products to improve visibility, scale their businesses, and prepare for Prime Day and Q4.
The closing session brought one of the day’s most anticipated announcements: the date for Prime Day 2017, July 11. Attendees were also told that video footage of the sessions would be posted in Seller Central for viewing, although access appeared to be limited to attendees.
BQool’s Reflection
BQool had a wonderful time connecting with clients and sellers who attended from the United States and abroad. We are grateful to the FBA Marketing team for bringing this event to life and creating a space where sellers could learn, network, and prepare for the next stage of ecommerce growth.
Looking back, Boost with FBA was more than a conference. It was a memorable gathering that reflected the ambition, energy, and global potential of third-party sellers. For BQool, it remains a meaningful event in our journey with the Amazon seller community.
This post is part of BQool’s event archive, revisiting our experience at the Amazon Seller Summit 2017, the first ever Amazon Seller Summit, held at Pier 94 in New York City.
As Amazon selling continues to evolve, this event remains a meaningful snapshot of how third-party sellers, FBA, global selling, advertising, and seller tools were already shaping the future of ecommerce.
Published: Jul 10, 2017 • Updated: April 28, 2026
Overview
A Memorable Start at Pier 94
The stage glowed with the words “Boost with FBA” across the screen inside the dim, chilly, 133,000-square-foot warehouse setting of Pier 94 in New York City. On June 28th, more than one thousand entrepreneurs gathered for what felt almost like a rock concert, but was actually the first Amazon Seller Summit hosted by Amazon for third-party sellers.
The invite-only event felt exclusive, energetic, and full of possibility. Sellers from across the country and around the world came together to connect, learn, and hear directly from Amazon leaders about the future of selling through FBA.
Although Jeff Bezos and Tom Taylor, the original keynote speaker and FBA founder, were unable to attend, the event opened with strong momentum. Cynthia Williams, Vice President of Fulfillment by Amazon, took the stage with a warm and engaging introduction. She spoke about Amazon’s continued focus on customers and the importance of helping entrepreneurs invest in their own growth, development, and professional networks.
The Vision Behind Boost with FBA
The opening continued with a short video from Tom Taylor, who first proposed the FBA program in 2005. At the time, his team imagined that 500 sellers might use Amazon’s logistics service. Jeff Bezos challenged the team to think much bigger and return with a plan for 30,000 sellers. Today, FBA supports millions of third-party sellers around the world.
Keynote speaker Mark Mitchke, Vice President of FBA and Amazon Global Selling, then shared the larger mission behind Amazon’s seller programs. For FBA, the goal was to help fulfill the world’s selection from any seller, anywhere, at any time. For Amazon Global Selling, the mission was to help sellers anywhere reach customers anywhere in the world.
He noted that in 2016, sellers from around 170 countries were able to sell to customers in about 185 countries. While Amazon had launched 11 marketplaces globally at the time, its export capabilities already allowed sellers to reach customers around the world.
Key Sessions and Seller Takeaways
Boost with FBA gave sellers a rare opportunity to connect directly with Amazon teams, including upper management, account managers, Seller Support, and marketing staff. It also created space for seller-to-seller networking, including a special gathering at Tao Downtown, a high-end multi-level venue in the Meatpacking District.
The one-day conference was divided into four breakout sessions, each covering several important topics designed to help sellers grow, optimize, and expand their businesses.
- Suite of Tools (Amazon Automate, Subscribe & Save, Small & Light)
- Sponsored Products
- Tell your Brand Story and connect with customers beyond the product itself
- Amazon Marketplace Web Services
- Grow your Business Globally
- Manage Your Inventory
- Customer Deals and Promotions (Lightning Deals, Prime Day, and more)
Seller Panel and Prime Day Insights
After the breakout sessions, a three-person seller panel shared real experiences from building brands on Amazon. The discussion covered how sellers create a professional look and feel for their listings, use deals and Sponsored Products to improve visibility, scale their businesses, and prepare for Prime Day and Q4.
The closing session brought one of the day’s most anticipated announcements: the date for Prime Day 2017, July 11. Attendees were also told that video footage of the sessions would be posted in Seller Central for viewing, although access appeared to be limited to attendees.
BQool’s Reflection
BQool had a wonderful time connecting with clients and sellers who attended from the United States and abroad. We are grateful to the FBA Marketing team for bringing this event to life and creating a space where sellers could learn, network, and prepare for the next stage of ecommerce growth.
Looking back, Boost with FBA was more than a conference. It was a memorable gathering that reflected the ambition, energy, and global potential of third-party sellers. For BQool, it remains a meaningful event in our journey with the Amazon seller community.
July 23, 2018
Great blog. Thank you for the details.