SEATTLE – Yesterday, Amazon announced the launch of a new platform that aims to do for business customers what the online giant has done for everyday shoppers. Companies that register for an Amazon Business account will have access to business-only products ranging from IT equipment to foodservice supplies (and everything in between), with bulk discounts and free two-day shipping on orders over $49.

The program is essentially replacing AmazonSupply, the company’s previous foray into B2B wholesale: “Amazon Business has hundreds of millions of products for sale — already many times what’s on offer on AmazonSupply,” said Prentis Wilson, Amazon’s wholesale czar, as reported by Forbes.

According to the Forbes report, Wilson said the new marketplace was born out of consultation with business customers of all sizes, from churches to multi-billion-dollar corporations. “We continued to hear that they wanted an Amazon shopping experience when they were buying for work,” he said.

B2B account holders, who’ll be approved to shop based on their tax ID, will be able to compare product prices from multiple sellers on one page, just like they do when they browse Amazon.com from home. Customers will be also be able to speak with experts based on-site at a manufacturer — crucial when ordering products that may be very technical. Companies can set up multi-user accounts, create approval workflows and integrate procurement systems.

Industry experts see Amazon Business as benefit not just for business shoppers but also for suppliers and distributors, which may benefit from Amazon’s infrastructure and e-commerce acumen.