Challenges Partners Face With Hyperscalers and Marketplaces

As more partners turn to marketplaces for sourcing, hyperscalers are creating both new opportunities and competitive risks, challenging traditional partner models while offering fresh avenues for growth.

Nearly 90% of partners are regularly sourcing products through marketplaces, with hyperscalers leading the way in transacting applications and services that complement their cloud platforms. Marketplaces have become a preferred sales channel for many partners, with adoption as part of their go-to-market strategies skyrocketing by 340% in 2024.

Despite the rapid growth in marketplace engagement, many partners remain wary. According to a recent global survey by Channelnomics, one-third of resellers, integrators, and managed service providers view marketplaces — particularly those run by hyperscalers like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud — as a potential threat to their businesses. Another 46% of partners say hyperscalers represent a moderate risk.