Amazon Business

USF–Amazon Business Membership

Instructions for University-Funded Purchases

All University-funded purchases should be placed through the Hilltop Shop Marketplace (HTSM) Amazon punch-out store. This ensures compliance with university purchasing policies and provides access to exclusive savings and benefits:

  • Negotiated discounts on frequently purchased items to the USF-exclusive Curated Catalog, with savings that often average up to 25% but may vary product by products and quantity purchased.
  • Waived Amazon Business Prime membership fees, saving the University $4,500-$5,000 annually. 
  • Free shipping on most Prime vendor orders, eliminating hidden costs
  • Six-Month locked pricing, protecting budgets from mid-year price increases due to tariffs, inflation, or supply chain disruptions. 
  • Centralized purchasing visibility and stronger budget controls across the university.

Orders placed outside of HTSM will not receive these benefits.

By consolidating spend through HTSM, USF leverages its buying power to reduce costs, improve purchasing efficiency, and strengthen policy compliance. 

 

Important USF-Amazon Membership Notes

  • Amazon Business Prime membership fees are waived, and membership benefits including access to the USF-exclusive Curated-Catalog apply only to the purchases made through HTSM. P-Card or direct Amazon orders are excluded.

  • A USF emaill address (@usfca.edu) is required to set up a USF Amazon Business account. Only one account per @usfca.edu email is allowed
  • A USF-Amazon Business account is not a personal account. It is a corporate account for University Business only
  • If your USF email address is ties to a personal Amazon account, you must unlink it immediately and use a separate email address for personal shopping.
  • Eligibility: Only active USF employees with a valid @usfca.edu email may establish and use a USF Amazon Business account. Student, contractor, or personal purchases are not permitted.

  • System of Record: HTSM is the only approved system of record for University-funded Amazon purchases.

How To Shop

  1. Log into the Hilltop Shop Marketplace (HTSM)

  2. Select from Amazon Business from the punch-out store menu

  3. From the ☰ menu on the left side of the Amazon punch-out screen, chose Curated Catalog to access negotiated items and locked pricing. 

    • Curated Catalog items also appear as top results when searching eligible categories

Curated Catalog Orders

Currently available categories include:

  • Office Supplies
  • IT Peripherals & Supplies
  • Maintenance, Repair, & Operations (MRO)

Additional categories will be added as the program expands.

 

Price Protection

  • Amazon contracts directly with suppliers to set six-month price ceilings.
  • Timelines vary by product depending on supplier agreements.
  • Once established, ceilings lock pricing and protect University-funded purchases from mid-year increases caused by tariffs, inflation, or supply chain disruptions.

Delivery and Receiving

  • All packages for the Main Campus are delivered to Central Receiving (Hayes Healey Lower level) which is managed by Purchasing and Ancillary Services (PaAS). Packages are scanned into QTrak and logged.
  • The Mailroom, operated by Facilities Management (FM), then routes the package to the campus address indicated in the Shipping Address field of the HTSM requisition. 
  • Packages delivered to USF Satellite Campuses (e.g. 101 Howard, Sacramento, Orange County) or other non-main campus locations specified on the requisition do not route through Central Receiving. Local delivery procedures may vary by location. 

Order Tracking, Cancellations, and Returns

  • Tracking: In the Amazon punch-out store, go to Your Orders to review order history and status
  • Cancellations: Orders may be canceled from Your Orders if they have not yet entered the shipping process.
  • Returns: From Your Orders, Select Return or Replace Items, print the label, repackage the items, and return them to Central Receiving
  • Issues: If an item is missing or delivered incorrectly, email receiving@usfca.edu with the order number and tracking information. PaAS will follow up with Amazon

Need Help?

  • For account set up or membership questions, contact PaAS at purchasing@usfca.edu
  • For delivery or package issues (Main Campus) contact Central Receiving at receiving@usfca.edu

 

 

 

 

Last Updated 10/2025