The Higher Education Framework

Frequently Asked Questions

• What other requirements are there to access the framework?

  The framework is open to all members, associate members or affiliate members of the following Higher Education Consortia:

   

  Advanced Purchasing for Universities and Colleges (APUC)

  Higher Education Purchasing Consortium for Wales (HEPCW)

  North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium (NEUPC)

  North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium  (NWUPC)

  Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium (SUPC)

   

  Upon registration members are asked to ensure all users of Amazon Business in your organisation are added to your centrally administered account. This ensures you have full sight of spend, and more control.

• I already have compliant contracts for some of these products categories, how can I manage these product categories through my Amazon Business account?

  Once your Amazon Business account has been set up then it will be possible to review the product ranges and add restrictions on the procurement of these products.

• Do I need a VAT number to register?

  No, you do not need a VAT number to register, this is optional. If you do not wish to add a VAT number during registration, leave the field blank and continue with your registration. If you choose to add a VAT number, it will be printed on your invoices. You can add your VAT number any time after registration through the 'Ordering and shopping preferences' on Your Account to enable this functionality.

• Why do I get an error when I add a VAT number?

  You may get an error message if the VAT number is incomplete or not in the required format. Make sure that the VAT number you add is complete and in the following format - GB123456789 (2 digit country code followed by a 9 digit number).

• Why do I get an error while adding my address?

  Make sure that the address you have provided is correct as we match the address entered with known addresses provided by Royal Mail. If you are certain the address you have entered is correct, click the 'Save and Continue' button to ignore the error and move forward with the registration.

• What business name do I need to add on "Business info" section?

  Add your business full legal name in the "Business name" field. Do not use your personal name or your department name in this section.

• What information should I add on the "Contact info" section?

  Provide your full name and job title in the "Contact information" section to verify that you are an employee of the business you are registering. Provide your name and not your department or administrator name in this section.

• Can I create an account if I am not a purchasing administrator?

  Additional accounts can be created for institutions but it is recommended to contact your Procurement Department in the first instance to ensure complaince with internal procedures.

• What email ID should I use to register for an Amazon Business account?

  Please use your business email ID to register for an Amazon Business account. We use email IDs as part of our account verification process to ensure that you work for the business you are creating an account for. We do not recommend the use of generic email IDs (e.g. info@email.com).

• I already have a personal Amazon account using my business email address

  Please change the email ID on your personal Amazon account to a personal email ID (you can do this in the 'Login & Security' option on Your Account). Once you have changed your email ID, create a new Amazon Business account with your business email ID.

• Can I convert my current Amazon account to an Amazon Business account?

  If you use your Amazon account for business purchases, you can convert your existing account to a business account. However, please ensure that the email ID associated with the account is your business email ID.

• What happens to my Amazon Prime membership if I convert my account?

  If you convert your personal Amazon account to an Amazon Business account, your Amazon Prime membership will automatically transition to your Amazon Business account and you will be able to access Amazon Prime Shipping.

• Can I convert my Amazon account associated with my personal email ID?

  If you use a personal email ID on your Amazon account, we recommend that you create a new Amazon Business account with a business email ID. If you still wish to convert to a business account, change the email ID linked to your Amazon account to your business email ID (you can do this in the 'Login & Security' option on Your Account). Once you have changed your email ID, you can convert the account to a business account.

• Can I convert my Amazon account that I use to make personal purchases?

  If you have used your existing Amazon account to make personal purchases, we recommend that you create a new business user account (rather than converting an existing Amazon account) to protect the privacy of your account information (i.e. order history, addresses, payment methods, and personal information).

• Is Amazon Business free?

  Yes, you can create a free Amazon Business account under the framework which will allow access to goods and basic account functionality. It is the recommendation of the awarding consortia however to consider the option of Business Prime (see below) to make use of the full functionality of the system.

• How many products does Amazon Business offer?

  Business-only items on top of Amazon’s vast selection provides access to more than a hundred million of products.

• What is Business Prime?

  A Business Prime membership offers the most cost-effective solution for Amazon Business customers who want all their account users to benefit from free premium shipping with no minimum purchase and also have access to a range of statistical reporting and the ability to restrict visibility of any category areas in line with internal institutional policies.

• How long does it take to register?

  You need about 5 minutes to fill out the registration but it may take up to 3 days until your account is verified.

• Cannot find the answers to your questions?

  For any queries in relation to Amazon Business, please contact us. For any questions in relation to the framwork, please contact Andy Huges at the NEUPC at https://www.hecontracts.co.uk/agreements/1020.