If you have ever heard, “Once we list on AWS Marketplace, AWS will start bringing us deals,” you have also seen the disappointment that follows.
Because for most vendors, the truth looks like this:
- The listing goes live
- A few weeks pass
- A few low-intent clicks show up in analytics
- And there is exactly zero engagement from AWS sellers
This is not because AWS sellers do not care. It is because the system is not designed to automatically route seller attention to every new listing. AWS sellers are measured on very specific outcomes, and “browse and discover new Marketplace listings” is not one of them.
So why do most Marketplace listings never get a single AWS seller touch?
Let’s break down the real reasons, what AWS sellers need in order to engage, and the changes you can make to move from passive listing to active co-sell.
The myth: a listing creates a seller motion
A listing is not a co-sell motion. It is a procurement and commercialization path.
AWS Marketplace solves problems like:
- Making it easier for customers to buy
- Making it easier to transact with committed spend
- Making it easier to issue private offers
- Making it easier to attach a vendor to an AWS account plan
But a listing does not automatically create:
- pipeline
- account alignment
- seller incentive
- deal narrative
- customer urgency
AWS sellers engage when the vendor helps them close a real customer opportunity.
And most listings do not do that.
Reason 1: AWS sellers do not “hunt” listings, they work account plans
Most AWS sellers operate inside an account-based world.
They have named accounts, territories, or verticals. Their day is built around:
- quarterly account plans
- customer priorities
- current pipelines
- partner opportunities that map to active deals
- solutions that help expand AWS consumption
Your listing sitting on Marketplace is not in their workflow unless it becomes relevant to an account they are already working.
If your offer is not clearly aligned to:
- a known customer problem
- a specific workload initiative
- an AWS service adoption push
- a measurable business case
then the seller will not spend time on it.
A listing is discoverable. That is not the same as being sellable.
Reason 2: the listing does not clearly attach to AWS consumption
AWS sellers are not measured on your revenue. They are measured on AWS revenue and AWS usage.
That means sellers engage when your solution:
- accelerates consumption of AWS services
- expands usage in a customer environment
- helps modernize workloads onto AWS
- supports migration, security, data, AI, or governance initiatives that drive AWS utilization
Many listings describe product features, not AWS impact.
A seller reading a listing needs to quickly answer:
- What AWS services does this solution drive?
- What workloads does it unlock?
- What is the expansion story inside the customer?
- Why is it urgent for the customer now?
If those answers are not obvious in minutes, the seller moves on.
Reason 3: there is no co-sell package behind the listing
AWS sellers do not sell “a listing.” They sell a deal motion.
When a seller considers bringing in a partner, they need:
- a crisp customer pitch
- a clear qualification and next step plan
- proof that the partner can execute
- commercial flexibility through private offers
- a shared understanding of who does what in the sales cycle
Most vendors do not provide any of that.
They publish a listing and assume the listing is the pitch.
It is not.
A co-sell package typically includes:
- a 1-page deal narrative for sellers
- target customer profiles and triggers
- discovery questions and qualification criteria
- a short internal enablement guide
- customer proof points and outcomes
- a clear path to private offer readiness
Without this, a seller cannot confidently introduce you to their customer.
Reason 4: no customer pull, no reason to involve a seller
AWS sellers step into opportunities when there is customer pull.
Customer pull looks like:
- the customer asked for a recommendation
- the customer is running a funded initiative
- the customer has a timeline and decision process
- the customer wants to buy via Marketplace for procurement reasons
- the customer wants to use committed spend
Most Marketplace listings are positioned as generic solutions for generic problems. That does not create pull.
Customer pull is created by sharper positioning, sharper ICP alignment, and clearer outcomes.
If your listing cannot quickly convey:
- the exact problem you solve
- the business impact
- the workload context
- why you win versus alternatives
then you will not see pull.
And without pull, the seller has no reason to engage.
Reason 5: your company is not “partner-ready” in AWS terms
This one stings, but it is common.
AWS sellers prefer partners who are operationally easy to work with.
Partner-ready means you have:
- a defined AWS motion and owner
- a consistent way to respond to seller requests
- a repeatable sales process
- references that matter to AWS customers
- a track record of delivery
- credible alignment with AWS programs
If you have a listing but do not have evidence that you can execute, AWS sellers will avoid the risk.
They have too many partner options and too little time.
Reason 6: you are not in the seller’s line of sight
Even if your offer is strong, AWS sellers still need to notice you.
Most vendors are invisible because they do not:
- build relationships with relevant AWS teams
- align to the right AWS segment and vertical motions
- show consistent deal readiness
- participate in co-sell patterns that sellers recognize
This is why “we are on Marketplace” is not a strategy.
You need a deliberate line-of-sight plan.
That includes:
- focusing on the right AWS sales segments
- picking the right workloads and industries
- enabling sellers with the right assets
- showing up consistently with customer-ready messaging
What AWS sellers actually need to engage with you
Here is a practical checklist.
If you want seller touches, you need to make it easy for a seller to say “yes” and low-risk to bring you into a deal.
1) A clear deal story in one minute
- Who is the buyer?
- What problem is urgent?
- What outcomes do you drive?
- Why does AWS care?
2) Proof that reduces risk
- references or customer outcomes
- case studies that map to AWS workloads
- delivery clarity and scope
- success plan in simple language
3) A commercial path that fits enterprise procurement
- private offer readiness
- clear packaging and price logic
- implementation options if services are involved
- ability to transact with committed spend
4) Seller enablement, not marketing collateral
- discovery questions
- qualification criteria
- competitive positioning
- common objections and responses
- who to contact and how fast you respond
5) A target map that matches AWS reality
- the accounts, verticals, or workloads you are pursuing
- the AWS teams you need to align with
- the triggers that indicate buying intent
What to change if your listing is getting zero seller attention
If you are not seeing seller touches, do not start by blaming “AWS partner managers are not helping.”
Start by strengthening the motion.
Step 1: Rewrite your Marketplace story around outcomes and AWS impact
Most listings lead with features. Rewrite to lead with:
- the high-cost problem
- the measurable outcome
- the AWS workload context
- the why now
You are not selling a product page. You are enabling an enterprise deal conversation.
Step 2: Build a co-sell ready kit that lives outside the listing
Create a simple internal package:
- seller 1-pager
- discovery call script
- top 10 objections
- customer proof points
- private offer playbook
- implementation overview
When an AWS seller asks “what do you do,” you should be able to answer in a way that maps directly to their account objectives.
Step 3: Choose one wedge, not ten
Vendors fail by trying to be relevant to every AWS customer.
Pick a wedge:
- one vertical
- one workload
- one buyer persona
- one trigger
Then build depth.
Depth gets attention. Breadth gets ignored.
Step 4: Create a repeatable handoff and response process
When sellers do engage, most vendors lose momentum because:
- responses are slow
- ownership is unclear
- deals get bounced between teams
- next steps are not defined
You need a single owner for the Marketplace GTM motion and a simple SLA for seller and customer responses.
Step 5: Treat Marketplace as an enterprise sales accelerator
Marketplace works best when it is tied to active deals, not passive traffic.
Your goal is not “more page views.”
Your goal is:
- more deal cycles where Marketplace becomes the purchase path
- more private offers used to close
- more accounts aligned to AWS initiatives
That is how seller attention is earned.
The bottom line
Most Marketplace listings never see a single AWS seller touch for one simple reason:
A listing is a procurement vehicle, not a co-sell engine.
AWS sellers engage when you help them close customer outcomes that expand AWS usage. If your listing and GTM motion do not clearly connect to that reality, you stay invisible.
The good news is that seller engagement is predictable once you build the right motion:
- outcome-led positioning
- AWS impact clarity
- co-sell enablement assets
- private offer readiness
- focused wedges and account alignment
That is how listings turn into deals.
If your Marketplace listing is live but AWS sellers are not engaging, the fastest fix is rarely “more content.” It is usually “better co-sell readiness.”
Marketeering helps vendors build Marketplace-first GTM that is seller-ready, deal-ready, and built to close enterprise transactions through AWS Marketplace.
