Amazon has confirmed that its Webstore service is no longer available to new sellers.
Rumors started circulating Wednesday on seller forums that the online behemoth was shutting down Webstore, its e-commerce platform that allows small businesses to run their own online outlets using the company’s technology. According to the postings, Amazon is giving its clients more than a year to find a replacement vendor before the service discontinues on June 1, 2016.
Amazon has yet to issue a statement but a message on the Webstore homepage on Thursday afternoon verified the allegations.
Scot Wingo, CEO of ChannelAdvisor, a company that helps small merchants sell on their sites and on big online marketplace, told Recode that it has already been discussing alternatives with its customers.
“We have about 100 customers using the Amazon store platform and are working with them on a transition plan to one of the other popular e-commerce platforms, such as Shopify, Bigcommerce, Mozu and Magento,” Wingo said. “The good news is as an inventory and order hub, we can help make this a seamless and rapid transition for our customers.”
The news follows in the footsteps of eBay which shuttered its Magento Go and ProStores on Feb. 1.