Know what you need to price your SaaS products and create listings for the AWS Marketplace. Once you have these prerequisites ready to go, manage your AWS listings in Tackle.
Price your product
For AWS marketplace, you are required to have publicly available SKUs on your listings. Not all sellers allow public purchases and that’s okay. Use these workflows to best structure your public pricing section based on how you sell your SaaS products. Public SKUs only limit the additional usage SKU Options for private offers. You can still create custom SKUs via private offer, just not additional usage SKUs.
Buyer contract type
You have two contract types to choose from for your SKUs:
Buyer can choose one or more options offered
Buyers can choose multiple options available and how many units of each option.
Note
This is the most commonly chosen contract type. It offers the most flexibility when sending CPPO offers, since it will use this contract type for the SKU when you create the opportunity.
Buyer can choose one tier from multiple tiers offered
Buyers can only choose one option from your list of products
SKU pricing strategy
The pricing durations and price points should be selected based on how you plan to sell your product. There are two types of pricing strategies for public SKUs:
Private offer only pricing
This strategy is recommended to sellers just starting their Marketplace journey. Managing public orders is an entire process on its own so we recommend starting with private offers only to see the quickest return on value. It uses the public SKUs to display a general offering and directs customers to reach out for a private offer. The key is to make sure the public SKU is priced high enough to deter potential buyers from clicking to buy before talking to your sales team.
In the Long Description section, you add a phrase like “For custom pricing, EULA, or a private contract, please contact AWS-Marketplace@<company name>.com, for a private offer.”
You do not need to list all of the products you offer in this strategy. Since you will be utilizing private offers, you can customize the contract for every deal.
Public SKUs for auto-provisioning
This strategy is recommended for sellers who are already putting deals through AWS Marketplace. This strategy is good for a free-trial or product-led growth seller who is willing to spend engineering resources to set up auto-provisioning on the listing. The SKUs here should display the products you offer for auto-provisioning, usually using the “Buyer can choose one or more options offered” contract type.
To set up auto-provisioning, you will need to set up Webhooks🔗 and your Self-Hosted Registration Page.
If the SKU you are offering is a free trial you will need to provide some additional information to Tackle for setup:
Fill out this form🔗 to provide Tackle with the needed information.
Email [email protected]🔗 letting them know you filled out the form.
Additional usage fees/metrics
If your product pricing is usage-based and you would like to charge your buyer during the contract term without having them accept a new private offer, you can set up some additional usage SKUs. The usage SKU can be used on each of your plans and you can set a specific SKU price for each plan you enable it on. You can always set a discount on the SKU price when creating private offers. For sellers setting up auto-provisioning, you may also want to use the Metering API as well to fully automate the provisioning and billing process.
Create an AWS listing
After you've priced your SaaS product listings, create them in Tackle.
Before you get started
Before you create a listing, you will need to:
Connect to the AWS Marketplace or check your connection status in Tackle > Account Settings > Marketplace tab > AWS🔗.
We also recommend you check out our best practices to learn about listings and ensure your company’s marketplace program is successful.
Requirements to create and publish an AWS listing
To get started, know the AWS requirements for publishing a SaaS listing in the AWS Marketplace and how Tackle takes that information to create a listing. Requirements include:
Develop and submit your listing content. Information required includes logo, product descriptions, pricing information, legal agreements, where you’re selling, support information, keywords (SEO), product categories, and demo/access to product. Tackle provides a template and to ensure you submit a best in class listing that is AWS compliant.
Registration Page. AWS requires buyers to be redirected to a registration page. Tackle provides a registration page you may brand and customize, or you can self host your own registration page.
Note: the customer information captured will be reflected in your order notifications - email and webhooks.Usage Dimension Testing. AWS requires a test of your usage dimensions to ensure a positive buyer experience. Tackle will perform these tests on your behalf.
Product Validation. You must show AWS you have a legitimate product and what the user login process looks like to prove it. You must grant AWS access to your product (recommended) or choose to create and submit a product demo video. Tackle can help with the latter but granting AWS access is preferred.
Tip
If a re-list is required (new listing during certain edits), and it’s under a year since the last product video you sent, one likely isn’t required. Save your video submissions.
How Tackle fast tracks getting published
Tackle captures the information required to create and submit your listing content through the AWS Marketplace Catalog API (CAPI)🔗. Once you submit your listing it’s placed in Limited Preview, which allows for testing and final cloud review before publishing. Once created, Tackle will oversee and execute the following:
Grant AWS access to your product (recommended) or build and submit your product demo (video format)
Test your usage dimensions
QA your registration page
If needed, help facilitate any feedback from AWS or escalations
Additionally, we offer the ability to sync your listing with our Salesforce AppExchange Application and to add in custom fields to your private offer so the information inserted into these fields is packaged into your order notifications (emails and webhooks), which are leveraged as bookable artifacts.
Now that you're ready, create an AWS product listing.
Create an AWS product listing
In Tackle, go to the left menu and click Listings🔗.
Click Create a product listing and select AWS.
A Draft listing template opens to the Listing Details tab. Tackle provides a template to capture your listing information and submit directly to AWS through the CAPI. As needed (not recommended), demo video requirements are added here.
Review and complete the three tabs as you’re creating a listing, starting with Listing details. See a description of each below and click the links for how to complete each tab:
Listing details - Add required listing information for publishing.
Registration detail - Customize your registration page or add your self-hosted registration details
Advanced - Sync your listing with the Tackle Salesforce AppExchange Application and add Contract Metadata - custom fields that accompany your private offer details
When you’re done completing the three tabs, click Submit to AWS.
Note: Tackle uses CAPI to instantly build out your listing in the AWS Marketplace Management Portal (AMMP). The listing is created and placed in Limited status, meaning it’s not publicly live or visible, but ready for testing and to be reviewed by AWS. You may view your listing within 10 minutes of submitting it.
After all final requirements are completed and AWS approves your listing, it will be moved to Publishing status, and your listing is officially live on the AWS Marketplace.
Listing details
In the Listing details tab, complete each section and save as you go to avoid losing your information.
Tip: Preview your details as you complete the form to avoid errors. To preview, click Preview in Tackle and select the listing option.
Note: If you need to exit the Listing details page and come back, save all your changes before leaving the page. If you don’t save before you leave the page, all entries will be lost.When you're done with all the sections in Listing details, save your changes before leaving the tab.
Registration details
AWS requires you to provide a registration page for each product listing on the marketplace. Your Tackle service includes a Tackle Hosted registration page Tackle manages for you, or you can choose to Self-host your own registration page.
When your customer accepts a private offer or purchases your software publicly through your listing, they are redirected to a registration page. Their purchase will not be complete unless they complete this form. This allows you to capture your buyer’s information, which Tackle includes in your order notifications - email and webhook.
Important
All updates made to the Registration tab are live once you save.
In the Registration tab, you must register one of two ways:
Tackle Hosted is selected by default and is the recommended option. You can customize this page.
Theme: Add your company logos and branding colors.
Registration Fields: Review the registration fields to make sure they meet your needs.
Full Name and Email address are required.
You can add other fields and dictate which fields are required or optional.
Tip: Buyers will have a tendency to skip registration if there are too many fields, so keep it to a bare minimum if possible. Preview Registration Details: You can preview your registration details as you go. To preview, click Preview in Tackle and select Registration details
Preview Registration Details: You can preview your registration details as you go. To preview, click Preview in Tackle and select Registration details.
Self Hosted - You can manage your own registration page.
Enter your redirect URL. This allows Tackle to include the buyer registration details in your order notifications, email and webhook).
Important: To send your buyer details to Tackle, you must set-up the Tackle API🔗. Use the “customerid” and “productid” as requested body parameters.
AWS Query Parameters:
aws_customer_id <string>
aws_product_id <string>
CustomerAWSAccountID <string>
aws_offer_type <string>
AWS QuickLaunch Enabled?: new purchase flow option from AWS. Buyers can run CloudFormation Templates (CFTs) to assist with account set-up and provisioning. A parameter requirement we provide to help with this integration is Agreement ID (aws_agreement_id).
Registration page mandatory fields:
Company full name
Full name
email address
Advanced
There are two main actions to complete in the Advanced tab before you submit to AWS:
Important: All updates made to the Registration tab are live once you save.
Tackle Salesforce AppExchange Application sync: Select the checkbox below to make sure the listing is linked to your Tackle Salesforce App. You can later use it to create offers from Salesforce.
Contract Metadata: Tackle offers the opportunity to add in additional information your organization prefers to include in your marketplace transactions. All fields will show as you build your private offer and also appear on your order notification - emails and webhooks.
Edit AWS listings
After a listing is created and published in the AWS Marketplace, you can edit your listing at any time.
How editing a listing works in Tackle
There are two editing categories to consider to successfully publish your changes: Editing - No Re-list and Editing - Re-list Required. Here are the requirements for each when editing your listing:
Editing - No Re-list (this is the fastest option)
General content
EULA link
Add contract duration
Editing - Re-list Required (re-create a listing, customer impacting, requires review)
Contract dimension API name change
Usage dimension API name change
Usage SKU unit change
Usage SKU dimension removal
Adding your first usage dimension
Remove contract duration
Change in contract type
Edit an AWS listing - No Re-list
Go to the left menu and click Listings.
Click the listing you want to edit.
Click Edit listing.
Tackle will unlock your listing and each section will be editable.Similar actions are available to you from the Listing creation steps, for example: Fields are unlocked for editing, saving, listing preview.
Canceling Edits: If you decide you want to cancel your decision to edit your listing, you may simply click the red button, “Cancel edits” and the draft with edits will be deleted and you can return to your original listing.
When you’re done with your edits, click Submit to AWS. Tackle sends your edits directly to AWS through Catalog API (CAPI), allowing you to view your edits on your live Marketplace listing within minutes
Edit an AWS listing - Re-list Required
Selecting an edit that requires a re-list will have the following impacts to consider:
Current subscribers
Public Subscriptions - all active subscribers will need to move to the new listing at the end of their subscription
Private Offers - All open private offers need to be transferred to the new listing before the old one is deprecated.
Tip: You may transfer them early by extending a $0, private offer with the same contract duration, from the new listing to re-align their contract. This action isn’t possible in bulk so you’ll have to consider how many subscribers you have.Future Dated Agreements (FDAs) - these offer types may be scheduled to start after the listing is restricted. All FDAs in this category will need to be re-sent and accepted on the new listing.
G2 Review Transfer
A transfer of your G2 reviews must be executed, this update takes about 90 days, and isn’t controlled by Tackle. Work with G2 by filling out this intake form for AWS Marketplace Mapping Request🔗.
Pricing Effective Date
New Subscribers - Pricing changes take effect immediately
Existing Subscribers - Pricing change is effective on the first day of the month following a 90 day period that starts on the day the pricing change is effective & notification is sent to your buyer.
Example: A pricing change notification on 3/16 has a 90 day period ending on 6/16. So for your buyers, their price will increase on 7/1
Auto-renewals - All customers set to auto-renew will renew onto new pricing
Private Offers - Not affected by public pricing changes
Communication Plan with AWS
Work with AWS directly on the communication that your affected buyers will receive regarding the pricing & listing change(s). You will need to request to review/change/suspend those communications. Work through your AWS PDM.
Tip
Best practice is to wait to restrict the listing until after the new one is published. This way, you can include the link to the new listing in your customer communications and in AWS communication.
Note
Your original listing is not affected during the re-list process. The listing will not be affected until you select to restrict/depreciate.
Carefully consider the impact before you begin your re-list.
To edit - Required Re-list:
In Tackle, go to the left menu and click Listings.
Click the published listing you want to edit.
Click Edit listing.
In the Pricing section, go to Proceed with re-list.
Note: If an area in the pricing section is locked or grayed out, a re-list is required. If it’s unlocked, consider yourself in the Edit Listing: No Re-list option.
Tackle creates a new listing template for you and copies over all existing listing information to prepare for editing and include the previously locked pricing areas.
You can find the Re-list tag to help identify your new listing among your listings.
When you’re done with your edits, click Submit to AWS. All submissions are sent directly to AWS Marketplace Management Portal (AMMP) through CAPI. Your new listing will be in a Limited status and viewable within minutes of submission.
Note
A product validation is required when you publish a new listing. If AWS asks for a video/product access, complete the following:
Resend the original demo video. Make sure to save it.
Set-up a live demo.
Grant AWS temporary access to your platform